The increase in the unemployment benefit is provided for in the Act on the solidarity allowance, which entered into force in the second half of June. The act was created on the initiative of President Andrzej Duda.

It provides for a solidarity allowance in the amount of 1,400 zlotys, which was available to people who lost their jobs as a result of the crisis caused by the coronavirus epidemic.

The allowance was granted for a maximum of 3 months in the period from 1 June to 31 August 2020.

– We left no one without help. We introduced the solidarity allowance for people who lost their jobs during the epidemic. At the same time, thanks to the initiative of President Andrzej Duda, the act provided for an increase in the unemployment benefit. The increase takes effect as of September, says Minister of Family, Labour and Social Policy, Marlena Maląg.

The amount of the unemployment benefit from 1 September 2020

The benefit will increase to 1,200 zlotys. This amount will apply during the first 90 days of the eligibility period for unemployment benefit. Later on, the allowance will amount to 942.30 zlotys. It is worth reminding that today it is 881.30 zlotys and 692.00 zlotys, respectively.

– All the unemployed will receive the increased amount of the benefit: not only the new registrants, but also the unemployed who are already receiving the benefit, emphasises Minister Marlena Maląg.

Increasing the amount of the unemployment benefit results in the increase of all benefits, the amount of which depends on the amount of the unemployment benefit, e.g. a scholarship for the period of training, internship or apprenticeship for adults, activation allowance or integration benefit for participants of the Social Integration Centres.

The other rules for granting the reduced and increased benefit amount, depending on the job tenure, will remain unchanged.

Amendment to the Act on employment promotion and labour market institutions

Another amendment of the Act on employment promotion and labour market institutions provides for qualifying to the 365 working days determining the right to unemployment benefit the period of reduced-time work and work with a reduced remuneration falling below the minimum wage in the case of people whose working time has been reduced – resulting in a reduction in the amount of remuneration that falls below the minimum wage – pursuant to Article 15g of the Act of 2 March  2020 on special solutions related to the prevention, counteracting and combating COVID-19, other infectious diseases and crisis situations caused by them.