Ljubljana - The furlough scheme, a measure aimed at preventing lay-offs due to the Covid-19 epidemic, which was to expire at the end of the month, will be extended with the eighth stimulus package at least until the end of April, Prime Minister Janez Janša tweeted before today's cabinet session dedicated to the epidemiological situation.

The measure was one of the first introduced to help companies and has been in force since the first day of the first wave of the epidemic in the spring.

In June, the subsidised reduced working hours scheme was also introduced, which will be in place until the end of June in line with a government decision made at the end of last year.

First introduced in the 3rd stimulus package, passed by parliament at the end of last May, the short-time work subsidy has been available to employers who cannot provide enough work to their staff since June.

Other measures include a partial wage compensation for workers that are temporarily made redundant because of the epidemic.

Employers have welcomed the stimulus measures. Until last week, the Employment Service had paid out more than EUR 383 million for the furlough scheme, absences due to quarantine, force majeure and for shorter working time.