Labor and Social Affairs minister specifies new amounts of childcare benefits

YEREVAN, December 22. /ARKA/. Armenian Labor and Social Affairs Minister Narek Mkrtchyan specified today new amounts of childcare allowances, which from January 1, 2023 will be paid to mothers (parents) not only in rural, but also in urban communities.

Under a law, approved earlier by the parliament, childcare benefits for children under 2 years old (born before January 1, 2023) will be paid regardless of whether their parents work and live in urban or rural areas.

Minister Mkrtchyan stressed at a government meeting Thursday that a non-working parent will receive 31,600 drams per month instead of 28,600 drams now. If a parent is working but is on maternity leave, the allowance will amount to 37,500 drams. If the parent decides to return from maternity leave to work, then the payment will be retained at 31,600 drams.

"Parents who are on maternity leave, living in villages, regardless of whether they have a job, will receive a monthly benefit of 69,000 drams. A parent returning from maternity leave will receive 63,200 drams," he said.

The minister said also that 20.35 billion drams will be allocated for the allowances for children under 2 years old in 2023. ($1 - 393.97 drams). -0-