Emergency Benefit – See How It Works and Who Can Participate

The Emergency Employment and Income Preservation Benefit, known as BEM, is a program developed by the Federal Government, together with the Ministry of Economy, in order to guarantee stability to employees by offering agreements with their employers.

The measure is expected to benefit millions of companies that were directly or indirectly affected by the pandemic. Check out some information about the benefit.

KNOW THE PROGRAM

Since its launch in April 2020, millions of agreements between workers and companies have already been made.

The BEM is an initiative of the Federal Government together with the Ministry of Economy with the objective of avoiding the loss of the worker's income due to the temporary suspension of the contract or its proportional reduction of the working day and, consequently, his salary.

Basically, the program offers labor measures to face the public calamity resulting from the corona virus pandemic (COVID - 19).

However, this measure is indicated for companies that suffered from the advance of cases of the pandemic, having to dispose of or reduce their staff, so that the losses were not greater.

WHO HAS THE RIGHT?

The benefit is paid to the employee who accepts the agreement to suspend the employment contract or reduce the workday during the pandemic.

This reduction takes place in 25, 50 and 70%, according to the categories of the companies in question.

It is worth mentioning that “for the worker, the level of total drop in income is very low, especially if you look at the alternative option, which is dismissal.

The Emergency Benefit is calculated based on what you would receive from unemployment insurance if you were fired. But you don't deduct anything from your unemployment insurance and you don't even lose the right to unemployment insurance.

It's what we call employment insurance”, highlighted the undersecretary of Public Labor Policies of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Silvio Eugênio.

The measure totally favors the employees, because once the employer signs this contract with his employee, he is guaranteed employment for twice as long.

For example, for one-month agreements, the employee will have two months of guaranteed employment in the company.

ABOUT THE EMPLOYMENT GUARANTEE

The worker must remain employed for the duration of the agreements, and for the same period after the agreement ends. If the worker has participated in BEM 2020, the employment guarantee period is suspended during BEM 2021 and resumes after the end of the guarantee for the new one.

Therefore, the employer is obliged to comply with the agreement, or if the employer fails to comply, he will have to pay all the worker's rights, already provided for by law, in addition to fines.

It will be the employer's right to reduce the working day and suspend the employment contract with agreements that last up to 120 days.

Under this agreement, employers must notify the labor union and the Ministry of Economy within a period of up to 10 days from the date of conclusion of the collective or individual agreement.

The first payment is made 30 days after confirmation of the collective or individual agreement (provided that the employer meets the 10-day deadline for reporting to the Ministry of Economy).

Firstly, inform the Ministry of Economy whenever you reach an agreement with your employees, whether for a proportional reduction in working hours and wages or suspension of the employment contract.

It is up to the employer to inform the agreement within 10 calendar days, otherwise it will only be valid from the date that is informed. In this case, the worker must receive the normal salary up to the date of the information.

It must also inform the unions whenever an agreement is reached within 10 calendar days, counted from the date of its conclusion.

To carry out the registration, the employer must access the service, web job and follow the informed step by step.

PAYMENT METHODS

For beneficiaries who have a savings account at the box, payment will be made through it. In this case, you can consult the benefit through digital means, offered by the box.

These are CAIXA Internet Banking, Self-Service Terminals or Caixa Application, to check your account balance/statement.

Digital account opened automatically for beneficiaries whose credit was not made to a savings account. Access to the account is carried out through the CAIXA Tem application.

For beneficiaries who could not open digital savings, they can withdraw with the Citizen's Card, in this way the worker can withdraw at the branches.

The pandemic brought several damages where it went, mainly economic. In this way, the commitment of the ministries involved to mitigate the damage caused, and which will still be brought, is remarkable, since the end of the pandemic is not foreseen.

Basically all sectors were highly affected, and the benefit was applied in general.

Therefore, take advantage of the program to help your companies and employees.