Employment Retention Programme still in operation

KUALA LUMPUR, May 1 – The Social Security Organisation (Socso) today said that the Employment Retention Programme (ERP) was still operating and assures all those who have applied for it as at April 27 will continue to get the financial assistance that has been approved.

Socso in a statement today clarified that the message on Twitter which has been in circulation, suggesting insufficient of funds for the ERP, was an unauthorised tweet that does not describe the actual progress of the programme.

“As at today, Socso has received 27,222 applications from employers, involving 230,652 workers and the allocation of RM120 million accounts for one month’s financial assistance to 200,000 workers under the programme.

“Currently, Socso is processing the applications based on the conditions set and disbursing the provisions based on the qualifying conditions,” the statement said.

On March 16, the government had announced the ERP under the Economic Stimulus Package to reduce the burden of employers affected economically during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Movement Control Order imposed to contain the spread of the disease.

According to the statement, the government has allocated RM120 million for the programme (RM60 million is from the government and RM60 million is from Socso’s Employment Insurance Scheme).

“The financial assistance of RM600 a month aims to assist workers who were issued unpaid leave upon consent and the assistance is paid through the employers,” the statement added.

Yesterday, a tweet went viral that the Employment Retention Programme was effectively closed on April 22 and applications submitted after that date will not be processed.

– BERNAMA