Laid-off to receive benefits

SSO board member and president of the Banking and Finance Labour Federation, Chaiyasit Suksomboon, said yesterday the Tuesday meeting of the SSO board had agreed to extend the unemployment benefit period from 180 days to 220 days.

He said lay-offs caused by the economic slowdown had led to some 400,000 SSO subscribers claiming benefits, leaving the SSO with a compensation bill to year's end of Bt3 billion. Next year, more lay-offs are anticipated and subscribers seeking benefits are expected to rise further.

Chaiyasit said the next step would be to amend the ministerial regulations, implementing the changes for one year from January 2009.

SSO Secretary General Pan Wannapinij said the new benefits would cover only laid-off workers. Those who had resigned from work voluntarily would still receive benefits, but under the old scale.

People entitled to unemployment benefits must have contributed to the SSO fund for at least the previous six months , register as an unemployed person with the Employment Office within 30 days after losing their jobs, and report to officials at least once a month.

Currently, laid-off workers receive compensation for up to 180 days at the rate of 50 per cent of their previous salary. Resigned workers get compensation for up to 90 days at the rate of 30 per cent of their old salary.