By: Abdul Halim)*
The government launched the Job Loss Guarantee Program (JKP) in lieu of JHT (Old Age Insurance). Under the program, workers will get their rights even if they lose their jobs.
Old Age Security is a special program so that workers in the private sector will get ‘pocket money’ after retirement. So, even though they are no longer working because of their age, they are still calm because they get big funds. However, the Minister of Manpower Ida Fauziyah revised the rules and said that JHT can only be disbursed when the employee is 56 years old.
The Minister of Manpower’s spontaneous statement made people excited for fear of losing their rights, when they were forced to be sent home before they were 56 years old. Whereas there are exceptions for those who are totally disabled or have died so that they can be disbursed prematurely.
The government answered the public’s concerns with the job loss guarantee program or JKP. If they are forced to be fired from the office or factory, they will receive JKP funds. The JKP program is prepared as a substitute for JHT, because JKP can be disbursed before a private employee reaches the age of 56.
Even better, in the JKP program, employees will not be charged a penny of dues. The reason is because the government will pay for it. People certainly cheered because their salary would be intact without any deductions for guarantees in old age.
The community appreciated the JKP program because it was a sweet surprise. They really can’t get JHT if destiny says that the working period in a company can’t be maximized until retirement age. Either because there is a reduction in the number of employees due to the pandemic or because the company is bankrupt.
However, with the existence of JKP, people feel relieved because they left the company empty-handed. Job loss guarantees will be a temporary ‘handle’, before they get a new job. So that people can survive in the midst of the rigors of the pandemic, without having to be confused about what way to look for a mouthful of rice.
Appreciation should also be given to the government because JKP does not only offer fresh funds. Job loss insurance offers three benefits, namely cash, access to job market information, and job training. Cash benefits are provided for six months, equivalent to 45% of salary for the first three months, and 25% for the following three months.
That way, workers who have been laid off will get several benefits. Not only cash but also job market information. That way they can quickly get a new job so they won’t be unemployed for long. Their kitchen was steaming again because there was a handle from the salary every month.
In addition to job market information, job training should also be appreciated because the government really thinks about the fate of JKP holders. They will be able to enrich their skills so that they have new skills. It could be that there are former employees who want to be entrepreneurs but don’t know how. However, with this training they get a way of how to do business and switch from employees to entrepreneurs.
The JKP program deserves appreciation because people will not be afraid of losing their rights. Even if they are forced to be laid off by the company, they will not get JHT facilities, but there is JKP as a substitute. This will give you money handles plus training and job market information, which will be very useful in the future.
The public is expected to stop blaspheming because there is a change in the JHT rules. Change is not always in a negative direction, because if there is no JHT, it will be replaced with JKP. In fact, the benefits are even greater because labor market information and job training, if converted into rupiah, will be very expensive.
)* The author is a contributor to Pertiwi Institute
