Ningbo unveils 20 measures to help enterprises resume work

Ningbo in East China's Zhejiang province rolled out 20 measures on Feb 16 to help enterprises resume production amid the novel coronavirus outbreak, according to local media reports.

The measures primarily provide help to employees in returning to work, slash taxes and production costs, and increase credit support.

Enterprises are encouraged to charter vehicles to bring employees from other cities back to work. The local government will cover 50 percent of fees incurred during transportation.

Those who opt to return to Ningbo by second-class bullet trains, coach or boat will be subsidized according to the ticket price.

Jobseekers, either college graduates or secondary skilled workers and above, from outside the city who come to fill occupancies posted on the city's public recruitment websites will also receive a maximum of 800 yuan ($119.4) in transportation subsidies.

Many hotels, apartments and hostels will help solve accommodation difficulties facing employees who must be under centralized medical observation for 14 days. Each person will receive no more than 100 yuan per day in subsidies.

The city will also follow the example set by cities such as Beijing, Wenzhou and Hangzhou in easing the problem of children being left unattended by parents who both have to return to work.

State-owned enterprises are encouraged to offer paid leave for parents so that they can stay with their children.

On the condition that both the husband and wife are working in private enterprises, each family will be given a one-time subsidy of 500 yuan.

Meanwhile, more incentives will be offered to spur enterprises and human resource agencies to ramp up employment.

Enterprises will be rewarded for hiring more employees, with the total subsidy for each company capped at 300,000 yuan, while the figure for human resource agencies will not exceed 500,000 yuan.

The city will slash water, electric and natural gas prices for companies, and fees owed may be paid within three months after the outbreak.

In addition, local banks have been asked to introduce special loan programs with interest rates which should be 0.5 percent lower than last year for SMEs affected by the virus outbreak.

Enterprises that failed to pay their taxes or social security insurance on time may apply to defer payment for up to three months.