2. State Aid

Government subsidies and special relief resources allocated to support employers, and workers, in their efforts to maintain employment and pull through the crisis.

On 1 April 2020, an Emergency Assistance Program for employers and workers affected by the COVID-19 health emergency was created through Decree No. 332/2020 (Emergency Assistance Program for Work and Production, "DNU 332/2020"), which was later amended by Decree No. 347/2020 ("DNU 347/2020") dated 6 April 2020, and Decree No. 376/2020 ("DNU 376/2020") dated 19 April 2020. In short, the Emergency Assistance Program sets out the following benefits:

• the postponement or reduction of up to ninety-five percent (95%) of the payment of employer contributions to the Argentine Social Security System;
• the payment of a Supplementary Salary, e.g. an allowance paid by the government for workers in the private sector equivalent to 50% of the net February 2020 salary, which cannot represent less than the minimum vital salary published by the government or more than twice such minimum and vital salary, or the total February 2020 salary.
• the provision of a Zero Rate Credit for Small Taxpayers and for self-employed workers with a subsidy of one hundred percent (100%) of the total financial cost up to ARS 150,000 credited to their credit card; and
• unemployment benefits, by which workers who meet the requirements set forth in Laws No. 24,013 and No. 25,371 will have access to a financial benefit of between ARS 6,000 and ARS 10,000.