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Published: March 27, 2016

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Subject to registration with the Employment Center, unemployed citizens have the right to receive certain cash payments, that is, unemployment benefits.

According to general rules, its amount is calculated based on the average salary, but the minimum and maximum limits for this payment are established by law. All these issues will be discussed in more detail below.

• What affects the benefit amount?
• Benefit calculation procedure Example 1
• Example 2

Where is the calculation procedure established?

How unemployment benefits are calculated is established by the Law of the Russian Federation of April 19, 1991 N 1032-1 “On Employment in the Russian Federation” (hereinafter referred to as the Employment Law). This document sets out:

• the circumstances under which a person is entitled to receive support from the state;
• the amount and period of payment of benefits;
• rules for calculating benefits;
• conditions for payment of the minimum benefit;
• circumstances that prevent you from receiving benefits;
• other important points regarding unemployment benefits.

Responsibilities of the unemployed

After we answered the question of what documents are needed at the employment center in order to register for unemployment, we consider it necessary to remind people registered with the employment center of their responsibilities. The unemployed is obliged:

• appear at the central registration center in a timely manner to undergo re-registration (this will have to be done twice a month);
• independently search for work;
• draw up, if necessary, a certificate of temporary incapacity for work and promptly inform the Central Employment Center about the occurrence of events as a result of which the right to receive payments is lost;
• appear in a timely manner for interviews with the employer as directed by the Employment Center. The unemployed are given three days to do this.

In the event of failure to fulfill these and other obligations, at the initiative of the central bank, the payment of funds will be stopped or suspended, and the amount of benefits will be reduced.

What determines the size of the PBR and what percentage of the salary is taken as a basis?

The benefit amount depends on many factors and is limited by maximum and minimum limits . Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation dated March 27, 2021 No. 346 states that the maximum amount of payments is 12,130 rubles, and the minimum is 1,500 rubles. Including for people of pre-retirement age.

The amount of benefit for orphans is equal to the average salary in the region in which the orphan lives and is registered (Article 34.1 of the Employment Law).

The amount of the benefit is affected by:

1. the average salary a person received at his last job;
2. how long has it been working;
3. the number of places where he was officially employed;
4. reason for leaving your last job;
5. the time that has passed since the dismissal (the procedure and deadline for listing on the stock exchange after dismissal is described here);
6. region of residence - in some regions of the Russian Federation, increasing coefficients are established, and in some there are additional payments;
7. whether the citizen belongs to preferential categories of citizens: pre-retirement people, orphans, Chernobyl victims.

For the first 3 months a person will receive 75% of his average earnings, the next 3 months - 60%. Pre-retirees will receive an additional benefit for the seventh month - in the amount of 60%, for the next - in the form of 45% of average earnings. This is established by Art. 33 and 34.2 of the Employment Law.

A minimum benefit of 1,500 rubles is paid to those who:

• was fired for violation of discipline;
• has no work experience;
• has not been working for more than 1 year;
• the year before applying to the employment center, I officially worked for less than 26 weeks.

How will average earnings be calculated?

The calculation is made on the basis of the resolution of the Ministry of Labor dated August 12, 2003 No. 62. Not only the official salary is taken into account, but also:

1. bonuses and other allowances;
2. fees paid for merit;
3. overtime, night, holidays.

Based on all the funds received by the employee at his former place of work, the average amount of earnings is calculated.

Only those amounts that were accrued in the last 3 months are taken into account for the benefits. That is, if a person received a bonus or other increase 4 months ago, then this amount is not taken into account.

Amounts paid during vacation and sick leave, as well as during strikes, time off or other paid days off are not taken into account. These periods are excluded from the calculation. If a person has been sick for the last three months, the calculation will take the amount for the last three months that he actually worked. Unemployment benefits are determined based on the calculated average earnings.

An example of how to calculate benefits: suppose that Ivanov quit his job on February 10, 2021. Its billing period is November, December 2021 and January 2021::

• in November he received 40,000 rubles;
• in December – 38,500 rubles;
• in January the income was 42,000 rubles;
• in January he received an annual bonus of 45,000 rubles.

During the billing period, he did not go on vacation, did not take sick leave or receive any other payments, and worked a five-day week. In the area where Ivanov lives and works, there are no increasing regional coefficients. How is the average salary calculated based on this:

1. First, the part of the premium that will be calculated is calculated: 45,000 / 12 * 3 = 3750 * 3 = 11250.
2. Then the total amount earned is determined: 40,000 + 38,500 + 42,000 + 11,250 = 131,750 rubles.
3. The number of days worked for three months is: 21 + 21 + 17 = 59.
4. The average daily income is as follows: 131,750 / 59 = 2233.05 rubles.
5. Next, you need to determine the average number of working days in the period taken for the calculation: 59 / 3 = 20.
6. The average salary will be: 2233.05 * 20 = 44,661.01.

Thus, the average salary of a quitting citizen will be 44,661 rubles. But the benefit amount is not equal to the average salary. It is limited to a maximum size determined by the government.

That is, Ivanov will receive only 12,130 rubles in benefits.

A citizen cannot receive benefits if he is under 16 years old; if he has reached retirement age and receives a pension, and if he is employed. You also need to take into account regional coefficients: in a region where the regional coefficient is 1.5%, the maximum regular benefit will not be 12,130 rubles, but 14,556 rubles.

Online labor exchange

Most people who want to quickly register with an employment center want to know whether there is an official online labor exchange in the Russian Federation?

There are some, but their scale is limited to one region. Today they are not so popular. However, this could be an ideal opportunity to find work for citizens living in remote towns and villages. Also, these resources are created only in large cities. Their goal is to help people find suitable jobs. But, unfortunately, this is where the work of online exchanges ends.

Electronic services will not be able to register an unemployed person and issue him a monthly allowance, as well as provide various services that are provided by the employment center.

Important ! All this can only be achieved with a personal visit to the local employment authorities, where you will need to provide all the necessary documents.

There are online labor exchanges, but they are not very popular and beneficial for the population

However, for those who want to find a new job as quickly as possible, online exchanges can provide some assistance by offering a list of current vacancies in a specific city.

Electronic exchanges can also provide information assistance to the unemployed, as they provide all the necessary information on their website in electronic format regarding ongoing training sessions and seminars. These events are organized by the employment center, therefore, attending them is absolutely free, which is a significant advantage for unemployed citizens.

Is recalculation possible?

A pressing question for many unemployed people is whether the PBR will be recalculated. Citizens recognized as unemployed before January 1, 2019 are paid unemployment benefits in the manner, terms and amounts previously established by the Employment Law. That is, the benefit is not recalculated for them. In some cases, the benefit amount may be reduced by 25% for 1 month (Article 35 of the Employment Law). This can happen if a citizen, without good reason:

• does not come to a potential employer within 3 days from receiving the referral;
• does not appear at the employment center to receive a referral.

Features of calculations or nuances that need to be taken into account

The shortened payment period (less than 12 months within a period of 18 months from the date of receipt of status) applies to:

1. individual entrepreneurs - the closure of the organization must occur in accordance with the law (additional income declarations are provided for consideration and calculations);
2. former employees of farms/collective farms;
3. expelled from educational courses (human guilt).

In these cases, a minimum payment is assigned - 1,500 rubles. Duration – 3 months. Additional financial assistance is provided for Muscovites - travel is paid (compensated). The amount of assistance in 2021 is 1190 rubles.

It must be taken into account that for all calculations a white salary is provided - amounts in envelopes or additional income (from the sale of personal belongings or freelancing, if they are not declared) are not taken into account.

How to correctly calculate the amount - formula

The monthly unemployment payment is calculated based on the average salary and depends on the availability of work experience and the regional adjustment coefficient. If the unemployed person has work experience:

RP = MaxP * RK, if SZ * K > MaxP * RK; RP = SZ * K, if SZ * K < MaxP * RK, where:

• RP – benefit amount;
• MaxP – maximum benefit amount: 12,130 rubles (including for pre-retirees);
• RK – regional coefficient, maximum 2;
• K – coefficient for calculating benefits: 75%, 60% or 45% for pre-retirees, depending on the payment period;
• SZ – average monthly earnings.

If the unemployed person has no work experience:

RP = МinП * РК , where:

• RP – benefit amount;
• МinП – minimum benefit amount: 1500 rubles;
• RK – regional coefficient, maximum 2.

We talked about the maximum and minimum amounts of unemployment benefits here.

Examples of defining PBR in an employment center

With work experience

Olesya Nikolaeva lives and works in the city of Yeniseisk and is resigning from the position in which she worked for 13 months. Immediately after leaving work, she contacted the employment center and submitted all the necessary documents. Now she will receive unemployment benefits, which are calculated as follows:

1. Her monthly income for the last three months was 35,000 rubles. She did not go on vacation, did not take sick leave, and worked all days according to schedule. In addition, she has not received any bonuses or allowances for the last three months.
2. She worked exactly 60 days. It turns out that the average daily earnings are 1,750 rubles. (35,000 + 35,000 + 35,000 / 60 days).
3. Olesya's average salary is: 1750 * 60 / 3 = 35,000 rubles.
4. In the city of Yeniseisk, the regional coefficient is 1.3, that is, the maximum benefit amount is 15,769 rubles.
5. Since Olesya’s average salary is higher than the maximum benefit, she will receive 15,769 rubles for the first 6 months of looking for a job through the employment center.

During 2021, a temporary procedure for registering for unemployment and receiving benefits is in effect. You can register remotely, without leaving your home: through the “Work in Russia” and State Services portals. For those who quit and registered after March 1, 2020, increased benefits have been introduced: from April to June they will be able to receive 12,130 rubles, regardless of lost earnings. For minor children they will pay another 3,000 rubles.

No experience

Igor just graduated from university. He has never been officially employed and wants to find a job. He registers with the employment center of the city of Cherepovets, Vologda Region, and begins to receive financial assistance from the state, since he is unemployed.

How is the PBR amount calculated:

1. A citizen has no work experience, but has the right to receive unemployment benefits.
2. The regional coefficient in Cherepovets is 1.25.
3. The minimum benefit amount is 1,500 rubles.
4. The benefit will be 1875 rubles (1500 * 1.25). Igor will receive this amount until he finds a job, but no more than 3 months a year.

The amount of unemployment benefits will vary for each person. This is influenced by length of service, age, region of residence, and other factors. If you are faced with a situation where you need to find a new job, but do not know how long it will last, contact the employment center. After all, it is better to receive at least a little help from the state than to sit without money at all.

Who has the right to register for unemployment?

The employment center will refuse to recognize a citizen as unemployed if he:

• refused two options for suitable work, including temporary work, within 10 days from the date of registration in order to find a suitable vacancy;
• is looking for work for the first time, has no profession or specialty, and has twice refused professional training or work, including temporary work;
• without good reason, within 10 days from the date of registration, did not appear at the employment service to select a suitable job;
• did not appear to make a decision on recognizing him as unemployed within the period established by the employment service;
• provided false documents or false information.

For people trying to resume work after a long break or who have ceased their activities as individual entrepreneurs and are interested in how to apply for unemployment benefits, the employment center will not refuse to recognize them as unemployed on the grounds that they have not provided a certificate of average earnings for the last three months or documents certifying their qualifications. But the employment center will refuse registration:

• persons under 16 years of age;
• full-time students in educational institutions;
• those undergoing military service;
• receiving an old-age pension;
• having the status of individual entrepreneur or self-employed;
• sentenced by court decision to correctional labor.

For all others dismissed at their own request or on the initiative of the employer, regardless of the grounds for dismissal, including able-bodied disabled people and pregnant women who are unemployed (up to 30 weeks of pregnancy), answering the question of what is needed for unemployment benefits, in addition to the documents specified above, all you need is a desire to find a suitable job. There is no benefit for pregnant women, but there is an opportunity to undergo retraining in specialties that are in demand on the labor market.

General information on calculations

Despite the fact that there is an established minimum and maximum, in each specific case the calculation is made individually.

Thus, citizens who have not previously worked cannot count on unemployment benefits in an amount exceeding the minimum established rate. Moreover, if a person consistently refuses the offered vacancies, and also does not want to undergo training offered by employment services, then payments may stop altogether.

Also, those who previously worked, but for some reason remained unemployed, can count on benefits, the amount of which is established based on data on their last average salary.

Material payments in support of the unemployed from the state cannot be less than the established limit, nor can they be higher than the established maximum amount of unemployment benefits.

Benefit reduction or cancellation

The legislation provides for cases when the amount of benefits may be reduced or even canceled altogether.

So, if an unemployed citizen violated the law and received a punishment in the form of imprisonment or correctional labor, then the benefit will stop being paid to him. The same applies to those who provided false information about themselves or forged documents to the central control center. If a citizen gets an official job or registers his activities as an individual entrepreneur, then he loses the right to receive benefits, since he begins to be considered an employed citizen.

This rule does not yet apply to self-employed citizens who carry out some paid activities, but are not officially registered anywhere and do not pay taxes, fees and deductions.

For example, if a person bakes cakes and muffins for sale at home, but is not registered as an individual entrepreneur, then he has the right to count on unemployment benefits. At the same time, his “work” activity is a direct violation of the law on the issue of evading taxes and fees for business activities.

Cancellation of payments

If a person has not checked in to the central health center for more than a month, the benefit payments to him are stopped. This measure is necessary because this way the state can independently track whether a citizen really needs work or is only interested in benefits.

Moreover, if a person did not appear at the central health center for justified reasons (for example, he was being treated in a medical institution), then the missed deadline is not considered as grounds for canceling the payment of financial unemployment benefits.

If a person has reached retirement age or receives pension payments ahead of schedule, then unemployment benefits are not assigned to him or are canceled.

For example, when a citizen has been registered with the Central Health Insurance Center for a year, and the next year reaches retirement age, his benefit is cancelled. If a pensioner registers, then he can only keep track of existing vacancies, and he is not entitled to payment of benefits due to his age (since the citizen is assigned pension payments).

Suspension for up to three months: why benefits may be suspended

The amount of unemployment benefits is determined based on the amount established by the state, as well as on the basis of the regional coefficient, which is different in each region. But, regardless of how much money an unemployed person receives, its payment may be suspended for up to three calendar months (they are not taken into account in the total length of unemployment).

The reasons for this may be:

• state of intoxication when reporting for registration at the Center for Registration (if a citizen comes in a state of intoxication for the established registration, an employee of the Center for Registration has the right to submit an application to the manager to cancel benefits for a specific citizen for a certain period);
• two-time refusal to work properly during the period of registration with the employment service (if a citizen independently refuses vacancies twice, he loses his right to receive benefits for 1-2-3 months);
• refusal to undergo free training, to which the Central Employment Center refers citizens who have not previously worked or whose work experience was interrupted more than one year ago.

The main task of the employment service is to reduce the unemployment threshold, to employ the population that has all the criteria for work, and not to pay them material resources from the state budget. That is why it is easy to obtain the status of unemployed, but it is more difficult to receive benefits for this status.