People outside Lautoka Confined Area that lost their jobs due to COVID-19 can access their unemployment assistance - Koroi

People who do not live in the Lautoka Confined Area and are not working in the tourism sector but have also lost their jobs due to COVID-19 can access their unemployment assistance.

This has been confirmed by the FNPF Chief Executive Officer, Jaoji Koroi who says that these members will be able to withdraw $1,000.

Meanwhile, the $1,000 COVID-19 assistance will be provided to those that have been affected in the tourism sector.

Those impacted by the physical distancing restriction and members working in the lock-down area in Lautoka can also withdraw $500 from their general accounts.

This will only be done through their employers.

The government will top up funds for those members who do not have enough money in their general FNPF accounts.

Koroi says that they will be working closely with employers when FNPF rolls out the assistance program for members through the existing digital platforms.

He says that the fund has sufficient funds for the 45,000 workers that are eligible to apply for this assistance.

These forms need to be completed by the affected members with the employer, who will then electronically submit the completed forms with the other requirements to the Fund.

When questioned on why there were large crowds outside FNPF Lautoka and Suva as this process is done digitally, the FNPF CEO stresses that members need to contact their employers as they do not need to go to the FNPF offices.

Koroi confirms that $60 million is the allocation from the budget for this purpose while $40 million is coming out from FNPF.