Despite the fact that occupational health and safety in Poland has improved in recent years, still almost 300 people die in result of workplace accidents. It is therefore necessary to continue the programme aimed at increasing occupational health and safety. The Council of Ministers adopted a resolution in that regard on Tuesday.

Higher salaries for young employees undergoing vocational training, as well as providing employers with the opportunity to apply for reimbursement of the costs of the increase - these are the key assumptions of the Ordinance adopted on Tuesday by the Council of Ministers.

Friend, therapist, employee, guardian angel - this is how the care recipients describe a family assistant. Family assistants constitute a key component, therefore once again, the Ministry has announced the “Family assistants and foster care coordinator programme for 2019”.

The increase in state budget expenditures from 1.78% of GDP in 2015 to approx. 4% in 2020 after the introduction of 500+ without income criterion, 1.32 billion for Polish families from the “Good Start” Programme, over 780 thousand families holding Large Family Cards - statistics, numbers and graphs are crucial for summarizing the measures implemented for the benefit of families.

In 2015, the term “Family” was added to the name of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. It was more than merely a cosmetic change, that symbolic addition was a harbinger of a real revolution in the Polish family policy. - Today, after nearly four years under the Law and Justice government, we can say with full responsibility that the family is our top priority and our best investment - says Minister Bożena Borys-Szopa.

Over the last four years the Polish labour market has been gradually changing. A stable economic growth rate translates into a very good condition of the labour market. The unemployment rate is at record low levels. The salaries of Polish citizens are also increasing. Actions taken by the government are improving the situation of the persons with the lowest income.

On Tuesday, the Government passed a bill on an additional benefit for persons unable to live independently. The additional benefit of 500 PLN is to be paid already this year. “To receive the benefit, one should submit an application to the authority that issued a disability certificate” said Minister Bożena Borys-Szopa at a press conference.

Applications for the “Good Start” benefit may be submitted online beginning on 1 July. Until today, Polish citizens have submitted over a million applications for the benefit. Please note that important changes are pending this year. Last Tuesday, the Council of Ministers has passed a draft of a new regulation extending the scope of persons who are eligible to receive the benefit, the list now includes adults and post-secondary school students. The changes shall enter into force in August.

If I live with my family abroad, but my place of domicile is in Poland, am I entitled to get the “500+” child benefit? The answer is only one - no. You must live in Poland in order to receive the benefit. The only exception is when one parent lives in Poland with children, and the other works abroad - provided that the other parent does not receive a full amount of a similar benefit for the same children in another country.

Social assistance, aid for senior citizens and families, health and safety at work - these and other issues were discussed by Deputy Minister Kazimierz Kuberski with representatives of the National People’s Congress Social Development Affairs Committee.