Firjan proposes to the Federal Government a support plan for companies to help with financial maintenance, following the spread of the new coronavirus
The Federation of Industries of Rio de Janeiro (Firjan) has drafted a document with several proposals to help preserve jobs and maintain the financial health of companies. Shortly after the coronavirus pandemic spread, the Productive Resilience Support Program was created. The document will be forwarded to the Federal Government.
Rio de Janeiro has 19 cases of Covid-19 and another 228 people suspected of being infected.
Among the items requested by Firjan is the immediate expansion of existing BNDES credit lines, primarily for small and medium-sized businesses. This includes the creation of a dedicated line with features similar to those of the "Disater Assistance" program developed in the United States.
The proposal also includes a request to extend the deadline for payment of federal taxes, given companies' difficulties in generating cash flow. These taxes include PIS, Simples Nacional, COFINS, IRPJ, IPI, and CSLL (presumed profit).
"It's essential to create conditions for companies, especially small and medium-sized ones, to weather the economic impacts of the coronavirus outbreak. Measures must be taken to help these companies meet demand, maintain production, and preserve jobs," said FIRJAN president Eduardo Eugenio Gouvêa Vieira.
The Federation suggests temporary and emergency flexibility in labor costs, with the reduction of bureaucracy for the adoption of remote work and compulsory and collective vacations.
Community transmission confirmed in RJ
Two cases of community transmission of the coronavirus have now been confirmed in Rio de Janeiro. This situation occurs when it is no longer possible to identify the chain of infection of a virus. This means the virus continues to circulate freely among the population. In São Paulo, two cases of this type of transmission have already been confirmed.
Until now, there had only been records of local transmission or imported cases, where the source of the infection could be identified.