Unemployment benefits for persons who worked at least two years before losing their job are expected to increase in the second half of the year, Jutarnji List daily said on Tuesday, referring to draft amendments to the Labour Market Act which the Labour and Pension System Ministry sent to social partners.

Under the draft amendments, for the first 90 days since losing a job, a person will receive, as is the case now, 80% of the average gross pay received in the last three month before losing the job, but a maximum 70% of the average national net pay, which would be €845.

For the next three months of unemployment, the benefits should increase from the current 30% to 45% of the  average gross pay received in the last three months before losing the job, but not more than 50% of the average national net pay, which would amount to €604.

An additional €11.5 million should be ensured for that in this year’s budget.

After three months of unemployment, the benefits should drop to 30% of the unemployed person’s pay and not exceed 35% of the average Croatian pay.

Entitled to unemployment benefits are persons who worked at least nine months during the two years before losing their job. Persons who worked more than nine months, but less than two years, are entitled to unemployment benefits for 90 days, while those who worked between two and three years are entitled to them for 120 days.

The maximum period of time in which a person is entitled to unemployment benefits is 450 days, to which persons who lost a job after 25 years of service are entitled.

The proposal to increase unemployment benefits comes due to repeated EU warnings that Croatia has extremely low benefits which do not enable a dignified life for persons actively looking for another job, which is required for eligibility, and that the number of recipients of the benefits is extremely low, Jutarnji List said.