Labour minister praises digitisation efforts after new service launched

Labour minister Kyriacos Koushos on Wednesday expressed satisfaction at the launch of the social insurance office’s digital service for receiving childbirth aid.

Koushos, who also thanked Deputy Minister for Research, Innovation and Digital Policy Kyriacos Kokkinos for his cooperation, said the new service was designed around modern standards and according to user requirements.

“This particular service is not an isolated achievement but part of an integrated strategy for the digitisation and modernisation of the services we provide as a state to citizens and local businesses,” Koushos said.

“Through the utilisation of digital tools and mechanisms, the government’s efficiency is improved, valuable time is saved and the cost of processing tasks is drastically reduced,” he added.

Moreover, the minister also said that digitisation “enables human resources to be freed up for utilisation in more essential tasks, and most importantly, it allows the government to offer the best and most direct service to people, something which is a key objective set by the President of the Republic”.

Koushos said that as part of the government’s digitisation and modernisation strategy, a number of services have already been completed and launched.

These include the payment process for social insurance contributions, which also allows for the use of credit cards, as well as the Ergani information system, which allows employers to electronically register new workers with the social insurance service.

Furthermore, the minister noted that as of October 2021, the approximately 65,000 beneficiaries of the Child and Single Parent Allowance can submit their annual applications electronically.

In addition, since February of this year, workers can submit their sickness benefit applications online.

“Indicatively, I should mention that according to a study carried out by us as the Ministry of Labour, with the electronic submission of applications, significant savings in costs and time are projected to be achieved, while the processing time will also be reduced,” Koushos said.

“A significant number of front-line staff can now be deployed elsewhere, where there is more of a need, while the cost of overseeing and managing collection operations is eliminated,” he added.

The minister mentioned that all of this was preceded by the digitisation of the application process for pandemic-related grants and support schemes in 2020.

“In addition to the childbirth aid service that we have launched today, as well as the development of electronic services for maternity and unemployment benefits, soon to follow will be statutory pension and widow’s pension services,” the minister stated.

“People will be able to submit their requests without needing to physically be at their local district social insurance offices, while the examination of their requests will be carried out quickly, efficiently and safely,” he added.

Koushos also said that the ministry is also moving forward with the full digitisation of social insurance contribution payments, including overdue contributions.

Moreover, he said that the ultimate objective is to completely abolish cashiers so that people aren’t forced to come to the offices every month to make any payments.

Koushos also noted that the new communication centre will come into operation in the autumn, which will involve a collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy.

The deputy ministry will act as a single point of information and service for a significant number of processes and procedures of the Labour Ministry.

“This will significantly improve the quality of service provided to citizens and businesses, expanding communication channels, as well as the hours of service to the public,” Koushos concluded.