Foto: BB.LV / Врач
Almost 9 million euros from European funds and the state budget are allocated for improving workplaces, disease prevention, and enhancing the health of workers. On November 6, the government of Latvia approved changes to the program "Support for a Longer and Higher Quality Working Life," which provides priority support to employers in the healthcare and social care sectors. The program is implemented by the State Employment Agency (SEA) as part of the project "Support for a Higher Quality and Longer Working Life." Its goal is to improve working conditions, reduce occupational risks, and help people maintain their health and ability to work for longer. ## Why was priority given to medical and social workers? According to the Ministry of Welfare, over the past ten years, the number of newly registered occupational diseases per 100,000 workers in the healthcare and social care sectors has exceeded the national average. At the same time, state and municipal institutions have limited financial resources for disease prevention and improving working conditions. Therefore, the government decided to provide employers in these sectors with priority access to the support program. Up to 30% of the funds allocated by the project will be directed to healthcare and social care for medical examinations, wellness activities, workplace adaptation, and improvement of work processes. ## What assistance can workers expect? The program includes several areas of support. For employees aged 45 and older, mandatory medical examinations, health promotion activities, workplace adaptation to individual needs, and improvement of work organization are planned. For workers under 45, activities aimed at promoting health are also provided. Particular attention will be paid to reducing physical and psycho-emotional stress. In particular, this concerns ergonomic risks arising from uncomfortable working postures, repetitive movements, and other features of professional activity. An assessment of stress-related factors and psychological load will also be conducted. ## Workplaces will be equipped considering occupational risks As part of the program, employers will be able to receive support for purchasing equipment and implementing technical solutions that make work safer. The list of collective and individual protective equipment has been clarified. It will include devices, equipment, systems, and other technical solutions designed to eliminate or reduce risks in the workplace. Four methodologies will be developed to assess ergonomic and psycho-emotional factors. Separate approaches are provided for metalworking, retail, healthcare, and social care. A universal methodology will be applied for other sectors. The Ministry of Welfare explains that the initial version was not practical enough to account for the specific risks of different professions. ## How can employers receive support? To participate in the program, employers will need to submit an application to the State Employment Agency. A detailed assessment of workplace risks will need to be attached. The justification for the requested assistance will be checked by specialists from the Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health of the University of Latvia. The ministry emphasizes that employers were previously required to conduct such assessments. Therefore, the new requirement essentially means that they need to attach an already prepared document to the application. Employers will be included in the program on a first-come, first-served basis, considering the planned distribution of funding. For other sectors of the economy, the amount of support will depend on their share in the national economy, the size of enterprises, the number of employees, and the region of operation. If there are not enough applicants in any sector, unused funds can be redistributed. ## The program budget has been reduced by one million euros At the same time, the government decided to reduce the program's funding by one million euros. These funds will be directed to support social entrepreneurship and projects for schools for the elderly. After redistribution, the total budget of the program will amount to **8,852,385 euros**. Of this amount: - 7,524,527 euros will be provided by the European Social Fund Plus. - 1,327,858 euros will be the co-financing from the state budget. The redistributed million euros includes 850,000 euros of European funding and 150,000 euros of state funds. The Ministry of Welfare explains that the possibility to reduce the budget arose after reviewing expenses due to delays in project implementation. The development of methodologies for assessing occupational risks and the catalog of equipment took longer than planned. Among the reasons are the workload of specialists, difficulties in collecting and processing information, and organizational problems. As a result, the practical provision of assistance to employers and workers was delayed. However, the ministry assures that the redistribution of funds will not require abandoning planned activities and will not jeopardize the achievement of program goals. The number of people who should receive support is not planned to change. At the same time, due to delays, the period during which assistance can actually be provided will be shortened. ## Additional funds will go to schools for the elderly Part of the redistributed funds is intended to support so-called senior schools — educational and social projects for elderly people. According to the Ministry of Welfare, by May 10, 2026, the Public Integration Fund received 77 applications from societies and foundations totaling 3,135,978 euros. To ensure even support for regions, it is planned to finance seven projects in each planning region. However, the previously allocated funds were insufficient to support another ten projects. The additional funding should help solve this problem. ## Why were the program conditions changed? The amendments also affected the procedure for providing support to state, municipal, and private employers. To eliminate double funding for the same expenses, an additional restriction has been established. Support for workplace adaptation can only be obtained if the employer has not received a one-time subsidy for the same changes under the relevant European fund programs or the Recovery Fund in the last five years. The conditions for applying state aid de minimis to state and municipal institutions have also been clarified. In addition, the responsibilities of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health have been expanded. This is because the State Employment Agency has not been able to find a senior occupational safety expert despite several recruitment competitions. Now the institute will provide specialists with the necessary qualifications to assess employers' documents. No additional funds from the state budget or the creation of new positions will be required for this. ## The program will last until the end of 2029 The project "Support for a Higher Quality and Longer Working Life" is implemented by the State Employment Agency in cooperation with the Latvian Free Trade Union Confederation, the Latvian Employers' Confederation, and the Institute of Occupational Safety and Environmental Health. The program is planned to run until the end of 2029. The main task of the changes is to direct more support where the risk of occupational diseases is particularly high, primarily in hospitals and social care institutions. At the same time, assistance in improving working conditions will remain available to employers in other sectors.
