The government has decided: Antivirus A and B to continue until the end of October
On 24 August 2020, the government approved the extension of the present regimes A and B of the Antivirus programme until 31 October 2020; originally, both were supposed to end at the end of August. Regime C, comprising the waiver of social security premiums, was extended, and will therefore not continue in September.
Since April this year, employers have been receiving contributions under regimes A and B of the Antivirus employment support programme, partly covering wage compensations paid to their employees during ‘impediments to work’. Regime A is aimed at situations involving forced shutdowns of operations and quarantine, while regime B covers economic difficulties encountered by employers, such as limited availability of inputs or limited demand for products or services.
The contributions from the Antivirus programme compensate employers for 60% and 80%, respectively of wage compensations paid by employers to employees not working due to COVID-19-related impediments to work; the maximum amount of the contribution is CZK 29,000 or 39,000 respectively per month per one employee.
The support under regimes A and B of the Antivirus programme was first to end in April, but was extended by the government until the end of the summer holidays. Further extension of the Antivirus programme was considered for some time, and now the government has finally decided to extend both regimes until the end of October. The extension of regime C, comprising the waiver of social security premiums, would necessitate an amendment to legislation; the third regime of the Antivirus programme thus could not be extended flexibly, and ended at the end of August.
Regimes A and B will continue protecting jobs in the Czech Republic until the end of October at least. According to the current proposal by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the programme should then be converted into a kurzarbeit (for more information, read here). Whether and in what form this will happen will depend on the legislative process. We will keep you informed of further developments.