28.10.2021 Of the 29.2 billion euros made available to Romania, 368 million euros are allocated for reforms in the field of labor and social protection. Of this amount, 100 million euros will go to ANPDCA (National Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Children and Adoptions), for the development of the social infrastructure component, as follows:

• 50 million EUR goes to the development of social infrastructure for children, including investments in a network of 150 day centers for children at risk;
• 50 million EUR is earmarked for the reform of the system for the protection of adults with disabilities and investments in the modernization of social infrastructure for people with disabilities.

Source: http://andpdca.gov.ro

15.09.2021 The Government of Romania has approved the Emergency Ordinance amending and supplementing Law no. 416/2001 regarding the guaranteed minimum income and Law no. 76/2002.

The main amendments to Law no. 416/2001:

- Maintenance of social assistance, for another 6 months from the moment of employment, if the beneficiary commits for a period of at least 24 months. If the employment contract of a beneficiary ends, at the initiative of the employer, in less than 24 months, the amounts granted as social assistance will not be recovered. On the other hand, if the employment relationship ceases for reasons attributable to the employee, the amounts granted as social assistance will be recovered for the entire period.

- The possibility for the beneficiaries of social assistance to follow “Second Chance” type courses, at the recommendation of the county employment agency. Refusal to participate will lead to end of social assistance and a ban on applying for a new right for a period of 12 months, as in the case of refusal of employment.

- Introduce the obligation to present social workers eligible for social assistance to employment agencies, for the application of employment incentives, every 6 months or whenever required. Failure to appear at the employment agency will be treated as a refusal of employment and will lead to termination of social assistance and the possibility of submitting a new application after a period of 12 months. This obligation also existed previously, until 2016, and was reintroduced to maintain the link between employment services and social assistance beneficiaries.

- Settlement of transport for able-bodied persons from families receiving social assistance who follow the courses of the "Second Chance" program, at a distance of more than 5 km from the home.

Regarding Law no. 76/2002, the main amendment brought to it by the emergency ordinance consists in the fact that the age group for which the measures for young NEETs are applied has been extended, from 16-25 years old, as it is now, to 16-30 years old .

Approximately 2,000 young NEETs will benefit this year from measures financed from the unemployment insurance budget, the financial impact being estimated at 5,625,000 lei.

Source: https://mmuncii.ro