OAED: Greece to Create Job Schemes for Covid-19 Affected Workers in Tourism

Greece’s Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) said this week that it would be supporting seasonal workers in tourism who will not be hired this year due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

The decision comes in view of the fact that many Greek tourism enterprises are considering not opening this year impacted by the health crisis and the ongoing travel restrictions and lockdowns.

“Tourism is very high on the government’s list of priorities. We have already decided to extend the social tourism program with an additional 113,000 spots,” said Spyros Protopsaltis, head of OAED, speaking to Greek radio station Alpha 98,9.

Protopsaltis went on to add that OAED would be supporting workers without a job through a series of employment programs – two of which are set to open in May offering 45,000 jobs in the public sector.

He also said that OAED would be working with government officials to “either create new programs, new job positions, to retain current jobs or to support re-recruitments”.

OAED is also considering subsidizing a portion of salary or company costs on the condition that all jobs are maintained.

In the meantime, Protopsaltis said OAED was supporting the ministry’s decision to stimulate domestic tourism in the aftermath of the coronavirus health crisis, with the launch of a holiday discount program aimed at some two million Greeks still under review.

Meanwhile, tomorrow – April 23 – OAED will launch its online platform for 168,000 long-term unemployed wishing to apply for a special 400-euro subsidy. Applications will be accepted until May 3. The aid applies to those who have been out of a job since 1 April 2019 onward.

OAED is also offering in collaboration with Google free digital skills training programs for 3,000 unemployed.