The Employment Service reports that subsidies for downtime workers, job search, and self-employment allowances will continue to be paid in 2021. However, there have been changes and additional conditions for its beneficiaries.

Job search allowance

From 1 January, after the entry into force of the amendment to Part 1 of Article 48 of the Law on Employment, persons who meet the following criteria may apply for job search allowance:

• the person has been granted the status of an unemployed person.
• the unemployed person does not participate in active labour market policy measures at the time of applying for a job search allowance to the Employment Service and deciding on granting this allowance.
• the person’s employment contract or legal relationship equivalent to an employment relationship has ended not earlier than 3 months until the state of emergency or quarantine declared by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
• the person is not entitled to receive unemployment social insurance allowance, or the period of its payment has expired at the time of the person’s application to the Employment Service.

The job search allowance will be paid throughout the quarantine period and for a further 1 month after its end. Its amount since January is 211.86 euros. Allowances for the previous month are paid until the end of the current month. That means money for January will reach recipients in February.

For persons who were entitled to this allowance until 31st of December 2020, i. y. on 31st December the allowance was still received, and meet the new conditions for granting the job search allowance established by law as of 1 January this year – the allowances will continue to be paid in accordance with the new provisions of the Law. You will not need to apply for a jobseeker’s allowance with the Employment Service again.

Persons, who have received a jobseeker’s allowance that ended before 31 December and are still registered with the Employment Service, can re-apply:

• The Application, signed by the e-mail address indicated on the jobseeker’s registration card e-signature, must be sent to the assigned specialist (the original will not be required).
• or send the completed, signed and scanned or photographed Application from the e-mail address indicated on the jobseeker’s registration card to the specialist assigned to you (the original must be submitted within 3 months after the end of the quarantine).
• The completed and signed Application can also be sent to the branch of the Employment Service performing the customer service functions where the person is registered.

The procedure is different for persons not registered with the Employment Service. In this case, the application is submitted by registering electronically, using the electronic service „Registration with the Employment Service“ available on the website of the Employment Service. If the electronic service „Registration with the Employment Service“ is not available, you can register by phone at the Customer Service Department according to the place of residence.

Allowance for self-employed persons

From the beginning of 2021, self-employed persons who meet the following conditions set out in the Law on Employment can apply for the allowance of 260 euros:

• Independent activity was registered for a period of at least 3 months within 12 months and was not deregistered until the date of announcement of the state of emergency and quarantine announced by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, during which restrictions on economic activity were established.
• Due to restrictions on economic activities, the person is included in the list of self-employed persons recognized by the State Tax Inspectorate as victims of emergency and quarantine, during which the Government of the Republic of Lithuania establishes restrictions on economic activities.
• If person works, the salary accrued to him / her according to the employment contract or legal relations equivalent to the employment relationship does not exceed the minimum monthly salary approved by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania.
• In the case of a legal person – does not have the status of a company in liquidation or bankruptcy.

Only self-employed residents registered with the Employment Service have the opportunity to submit applications. You can register electronically using the electronic service „Registration with the Employment Service“ available on the website of the Employment Service. You can do this at www.uzt.lt.

For persons registered with the Employment Service, the application can be submitted in the following ways:

• From the e-mail address indicated on the jobseeker’s registration card by sending the completed Application to the branch of the Employment Service where the person is registered.
• By post, sending the completed and signed Application to the branch of the Employment Service where the person is registered.
• Through the portal of administrative and public services „Electronic Government Gateway“.

After Application is sent by e-mail within 30 calendar days after the end of the quarantine, self-employed persons must submit the original application to the branch of the Employment Service where the person is registered, unless the application is submitted by electronic signature and signed through the „Electronic Government Gateway”.

Decisions to grant self-employment allowances taken before the date of entry into force of Law on Employment will be reviewed and, if self-employed persons are included in the list of recognized victims of emergency and quarantine, allowances will continue to be paid to them. Only one application is submitted per quarantine. If you have already applied during the second quarantine, you do not need to submit an additional application.

For a self-employed person, the allowance is paid for the previous calendar month and will amount to 260 euros. It is also available to self-employed persons exempt from social security contributions: pensioners, the disabled and first-time entrants.

The allowance is terminated one month after the cancelation of the emergency or quarantine, during which restrictions on economic activity have been imposed. Also – if the person is removed from the list of self-employed persons recognized as victims of emergency and quarantine, or if the person no longer meets at least one of the conditions for receiving the allowance.