Armenia to facilitate formalization of baby care benefit
11.11.2015,
12:46
On Wednesday, Armenia’s National Assembly passed at the first reading amendments to the law on state benefits.
YEREVAN, November 11. /ARKA/. On Wednesday, Armenia’s National Assembly passed at the first reading amendments to the law on state benefits.
Artem Asatryan, labor and social affairs minister, presenting the amendments to the lawmakers, said they applied to procedures related to childcare benefit.
“The amendments apply only to eligibility for the benefit for care of babies who have not turned two years yet and they are aimed at reducing red tape,” he said.
The minister said the payment of the benefit will start on January 1, 2016.
“We are going to develop programs of monitoring for all the programs being implemented by the ministry to gauge their reasonability and effectiveness,” Asatryan said.
Speaking about the childcare system as a whole, he said that the system of prenatal and postnatal benefits will be introduced in 2016. Unemployed women will be eligible to receive the benefits as well, while before only employed women enjoyed them.
The minister said that the lump sum birth allowance will be paid, as before, for every baby regardless of whether the baby’s mother is employed or not.
This allowance amounts to AMD 50,000 for first and second babies, AMD 1 million for third and fourth and AMD 1.5 million for fifth and next babies.
Asatryan said that there is also another allowance intended for employed mothers’ temporary loss of working ability. Its size is AMD 18,000 and it is paid every month throughout two years, if the mother doesn’t work. Unemployed mothers are not eligible for this benefit.
The minister also pointed out a benefit for care of children under 18, but this benefit is intended only for socially unsecured families who receive poverty benefits.
Naira Zohrabyan, the head of Prosperous Armenia faction, said she found it necessary to create equal conditions for employed and unemployed mothers and pay AMD 18,000 every month throughout two years to both categories.
“All should enjoy equal conditions, especially given that things in the country are complicated and employment is quite problematic,” she said. “We will propose amendments to the law to make employed and unemployed mothers’ rights equal. I think the sum is too small to solve young mothers’ problems, but they should not be deprived of even such insignificant sums.” ---0---
Artem Asatryan, labor and social affairs minister, presenting the amendments to the lawmakers, said they applied to procedures related to childcare benefit.
“The amendments apply only to eligibility for the benefit for care of babies who have not turned two years yet and they are aimed at reducing red tape,” he said.
The minister said the payment of the benefit will start on January 1, 2016.
“We are going to develop programs of monitoring for all the programs being implemented by the ministry to gauge their reasonability and effectiveness,” Asatryan said.
Speaking about the childcare system as a whole, he said that the system of prenatal and postnatal benefits will be introduced in 2016. Unemployed women will be eligible to receive the benefits as well, while before only employed women enjoyed them.
The minister said that the lump sum birth allowance will be paid, as before, for every baby regardless of whether the baby’s mother is employed or not.
This allowance amounts to AMD 50,000 for first and second babies, AMD 1 million for third and fourth and AMD 1.5 million for fifth and next babies.
Asatryan said that there is also another allowance intended for employed mothers’ temporary loss of working ability. Its size is AMD 18,000 and it is paid every month throughout two years, if the mother doesn’t work. Unemployed mothers are not eligible for this benefit.
The minister also pointed out a benefit for care of children under 18, but this benefit is intended only for socially unsecured families who receive poverty benefits.
Naira Zohrabyan, the head of Prosperous Armenia faction, said she found it necessary to create equal conditions for employed and unemployed mothers and pay AMD 18,000 every month throughout two years to both categories.
“All should enjoy equal conditions, especially given that things in the country are complicated and employment is quite problematic,” she said. “We will propose amendments to the law to make employed and unemployed mothers’ rights equal. I think the sum is too small to solve young mothers’ problems, but they should not be deprived of even such insignificant sums.” ---0---
