Laid-off workers to get some financial relief<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Workers who have been laid-off due to the
\neconomic crisis may get some reprieve as the state-owned
\ninsurance company, PT Jamsostek, has promised to provide each of
\nthem between Rp 100,000 (US$7.15) and Rp 250,000.<\/p>\n
Bambang Poerwoko, Jamsostek's director for program development
\nand members' service affairs, told journalists yesterday that
\nworkers dismissed as a result of the economic crisis were
\neligible for social assistance regardless of their participation
\nin the social security program.<\/p>\n
He said the company had allocated Rp 1.4 billion in aid for
\ndismissed workers.<\/p>\n
The allocated funds are being taken from the special fund for
\nthe improvement of workers' welfare, which the company has set
\naside from its annual profit.<\/p>\n
\"Workers dismissed because of the economic crisis will be
\ngiven between Rp 100,000 and Rp 250,000 to help them seek other
\njobs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Dismissed workers are asked to take to the company, or a
\nbranch office, notification that they have been dismissed to
\nclaim the cash, he said.<\/p>\n
Bambang added that those who have been laid off due to the
\ncrisis but had participated in the social security program for at
\nleast five years could also claim their pension funds.<\/p>\n
\"Despite the small sums involved, the pension funds are also
\nexpected to be helpful for dismissed workers to survive the
\neconomic crisis,\" he said,<\/p>\n
Bambang said that since January, the company has paid out Rp
\n70.2 million in pension funds to dismissed workers who had
\ncontributed to the pension fund for at least five years.<\/p>\n
\"Everyday, all Jamsostek branch offices in Java serve about
\n250 dismissed workers who want to draw their pension funds,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
According to official data from the Ministry of Manpower,
\nbetween October 1997 and July 11, 1998, 718 troubled companies
\nfired 108,910 workers, 96 companies are currently in the process
\nof dismissing 13,352 workers and another 196 companies are
\nplanning to dismiss 57,836 workers.<\/p>\n
Companies are required to report to the ministry prior to
\ndismissing workers.<\/p>\n
However Pudji Astuti, a Ministry of Manpower spokesperson,
\nestimates that the number of dismissed workers had reached
\n350,000 since many troubled companies which did not have
\ncollective labor agreements with their workers had not reported
\ndismissals. (rms)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/laid-off-workers-to-get-some-financial-relief-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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