The Saeima¹ has adopted
and the President has proclaimed the following Law:

On Payment of State Allowances during the Time Period from 2009 to 2012

[21 January 2010]

Section 1.

The purpose of the Law is to provide social security to persons within the scope of available financing in accordance with the laws on the State budget for the current year during the time period from 1 July 2009 until 2012

Section 2.

[21 January 2010]

Section 3.

[21 January 2010]

Section 4.

During the time period from 1 July 2009 until 31 December 2012 the amount of the State family allowance specified in the Law On State Social Allowances for each child shall be 8.00 lats per month.

Section 5.

(1) For a person who, during the childcare period, earns income as an employee or a self-employed person, the parents' benefit specified in the Law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance, which has been granted for taking care of a child born during the time period until 2 May 2010, shall be paid in the amount of 50% of the amount of the benefit granted.

(2) Disbursement of the parents' benefit in the amount specified in Paragraph one of this Section shall be commenced on the first date of the month, which follows the month when the parental leave of the person has ended or the person has commenced earning income as a self-employed person, but discontinues on the first date of the month, which follows the month during which the person was granted parental leave or he or she did not earn income as a self-employed person.

(3) Until 31 December 2012 a socially insured person who is on parental leave or does not earn income as a self-employed person due to taking care of a child, shall be disbursed the parents' benefit granted in accordance with Section 10.⁶ of the Law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance for taking care of a child born during the time period after 2 November 2010 in the following amount:

1) if the amount of the granted benefit per one calendar day is up to 11.51 lats (including), - in the amount granted; or

2) if the amount of the granted benefit per one calendar day exceeds 11.51 lats, - per one calendar day 11.51 lats and 50% of the amount of the granted benefit, which in one calendar day exceeds 11.51 lats, shall be disbursed.

[1 December 2009]

Section 6.

The State Social Insurance Agency shall perform disbursement of the benefit specified in Section 5 of this Law on the basis of the information of the State Revenue Service regarding those periods, when a person was registered as an employee or as self-employed person.

[21 January 2010]

Section 7.

In order to recover overpayments of State social insurance services and State social allowances, which have occurred, without applying the restrictions specified in this Law, the State Social Insurance Agency shall perform deductions in the amount of 10% from each social insurance service or State social allowance granted.

Section 8.

[21 January 2010]

Section 9.

The Cabinet shall twice a year evaluate further validity of the specification of restrictions on disbursement of the State allowances specified in this Law and submit a report to the Saeima regarding retention of restrictions and, if necessary, a draft law regarding partial or complete revocation of restrictions.

[21 January 2010]

Section 10.

[21 January 2010]

Section 11.

During the time period from 3 November 2010 to 31 December 2012 the amount of the maternity benefit or paternity benefit specified in the Law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance shall be granted in the amount of 80% of the average wage of the benefit recipient that is subject to insurance contributions.

[1 December 2009]

Section 12.

During the time period from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012 the sickness benefit granted in accordance with Section 17 of the Law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance, the sickness benefit granted in accordance with Section 19 of the Law On Compulsory Social Insurance in Respect of Accidents at Work and Occupational Diseases, and the maternity benefit and the paternity benefit granted in accordance with Section 11 of this Law shall be disbursed in the following amount:

1) if the amount of the granted benefit per one calendar day is up to 11.51 lats (including), - in the amount granted; or

2) if the amount of the granted benefit per one calendar day exceeds 11.51 lats, - per one calendar day 11.51 lats and 50% of the amount of the granted benefit, which in one calendar day exceeds 11.51 lats, shall be disbursed.

[1 December 2009]

Section 13.

If during the time period from 1 January 2010 until 31 December 2012 the amount of unemployment benefit specified in accordance with the Section 7 of the Law On Unemployment Insurance exceeds 11.51 lats per one calendar day, the amount of unemployment benefit to be granted per one calendar day shall be the sum, which consists of 11.51 lats and 50% of the calculated benefit sum that exceeds 11.51 lats per one calendar day.

[1 December 2009]

Transitional Provisions

[1 December 2009]

1. A person, for whom disability had been determined and who from 1 July 2009 until 31 October 2009, in accordance with the provisions of Sections 2 and 3 of this Law, received an old-age pension or a service pension granted in limited amount in accordance with the by-law "On Service Pensions" and the by-law "On the Rank and File and the Unit Commanding Personnel of the Institutions of the Ministry of the Interior Employee Pensions (Employer Pensions)", shall be disbursed the amount of the non-received pension from 1 November 2009.

2. A person, for whom a temporary work disability has been determined until 31 December 2009 and which continues uninterrupted after 1 January 2010, shall be disbursed the sickness benefit in the amount specified in Section 17 of the Law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance or in the amount specified in Section 19 of the Law On Compulsory Social Insurance in Respect of Accidents at Work and Occupational Diseases.

3. An unemployed person, who has been granted an unemployment benefit until 31 December 2009 and disbursement thereof continues after 1 January 2010, shall be disbursed the unemployment benefit in accordance with that specified in Sections 7 and 9 of the Law On Unemployment Insurance and Paragraph 12 of Transitional Provisions thereof.

4. A person, for whom a temporary work disability in relation to pregnancy and childbirth has set in until 2 November 2010 and will continue uninterrupted after 3 November 2010, maternity benefit shall be disbursed in the amount specified in Section 10 of the Law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance.

5. The father of a child, for whom a leave in relation to the birth of a child has set in until 2 November 2010 and will continue uninterrupted after 3 November 2010, paternity benefit shall be disbursed in the amount specified in Section 10.³ of the Law On Maternity and Sickness Insurance.

This Law shall come into force on 1 July 2009.

This Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 16 June 2009.

President V. Zatlers

Rīga, 30 June 2009

¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2010 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)