The cabinet will again give more support to entrepreneurs who have been affected by the corona measures. The NOW wage support scheme is returning: companies will be reimbursed part of the wage bill if their turnover drops significantly. The allowance for fixed costs (TVL) was already available in the fourth quarter, but entrepreneurs are reimbursed a higher percentage of the estimated fixed costs.
schools
School transport can continue. Schools may remain open, but under stricter conditions. The rules will take effect on Monday and will in principle apply for three weeks, the PO Council has announced after consultation with the cabinet. The agreements were announced on Friday evening and explained in the press conference of outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Minister Hugo de Jonge (Public Health).
Schools are urgently advised to install walking routes in the buildings, whether or not again, and to stagger breaks. Where possible, the advice is to divide classes into smaller groups and to ensure that they do not come into contact with each other. For students in the upper years of primary education (groups six to eight) and in secondary education, the urgent advice applies to take a corona self-test twice a week, also for vaccinated people and students who have had corona.
Students under the age of 12 who have mild complaints should stay at home. The rule was that they only had to stay home if they had a cough and fever. The measure has therefore been tightened. Finally, it has been agreed that all students at school must wear face masks when they move.
behind the front door
Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte calls on to pay extra attention in the coming weeks to people who are in an unsafe home situation or who are lonely. The tightened corona measures, as a result of which people are sitting at home much more, can "have an horrific effect behind the front door", he warns.
Rutte thinks in particular of women and children who are victims of domestic violence. But also to the elderly who threaten to become more lonely due to all the limitations.
“We really have to keep an eye out for each other, even now,” says Rutte. “So just ask people: how are you. And if you know people who are really in an unsafe home situation, please contact the authorities we have for this. It should not be every man for himself at this stage.”
support
The cabinet will again give more support to entrepreneurs who have been affected by the corona measures. The NOW wage support scheme is returning: companies will be reimbursed part of the wage bill if their turnover drops significantly. The allowance for fixed costs (TVL) was already available in the fourth quarter, but entrepreneurs are now reimbursed 100 percent of the estimated fixed costs, instead of 85 percent.
The expansion of the aid will cost about 2,2 billion euros, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said. The return of wage support, in the form of 'NOW 5', will cost about 1,5 billion euros. Companies can be reimbursed 85 percent of the wage costs. The Ministry of Social Affairs hopes that employers can knock on the door for the wage subsidy before the end of the year.
Entrepreneurs don't have to worry about the blue envelope either: the tax deferral will be extended until the end of the year. The special postponement had actually ended on October 1. The interest paid on the tax debt will only increase slowly.
In the package, 68 million euros has been set aside for the cultural sector. With 40 million euros, Social Affairs, in consultation with the parties involved, wants to bring job seekers into contact with employers in sectors with major shortages of manpower.
Outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte "hopes for a normal Christmas", but can give "absolutely no guarantees" about this. "It may take longer" before the tightened measures against the corona virus announced on Friday can be withdrawn. For the time being, the package is valid until December 18.
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