People should not be lining up outside the FNPF Offices if they require the COVID-19 Assistance

People should not be lining up outside the Fiji National Provident Fund Offices if they require the COVID-19 Assistance.

This has been stressed by FNPF CEO, Jaoji Koroi who says that members can check if they are eligible for the assistance on the FNPF website or with their employers, and then fill out the application with the employer.

He says these forms will then be loaded to the FNPF online portal by the employers from tomorrow.

The list of affected companies is already on the FNPF website.

The FNPF CEO says they are looking at assisting 45,000 affected employees.

Koroi says members will only need to provide their bank statement and a valid photo ID to the employer to complete their application.

The employer will have to provide details on whether the employee has lost their job or is on reduced hours.

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.

Jaoji Koroi says 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.

He says FNPF is expected to provide $40 million from members’ funds and the government is expected to provide $60 million.