Nicola Sturgeon has said the end of the UK Government's furlough scheme next month will cause a "tsunami of redundancies".
Speaking at the Scottish Parliament where she unveiled the Programme for Government 2020-21, the First Minister welcomed the financial support from the UK Government.
However, she called for the job retention to be extended, following plans for it to end in October.
Ms Sturgeon said: "The looming withdrawal of the furlough scheme risks a tsunami of redundancies.
"I am therefore calling again today on the UK to follow the lead of countries like France and Germany and extend the Job Retention Scheme for a further 12 months - especially for the sectors hardest hit by COVID and with the longest road to recovery.
"Withdrawing this support while otherwise viable businesses are still unable to operate normally - and in full and certain knowledge of the impact it will have - would be unconscionable."
A £60 million Youth Guarantee scheme was also announced today. The initiative will see all Scots between the ages of 16 and 24 guaranteed a job, place in education or training position.
The First Minister said the Scottish Government had "absolute determination" that "youth unemployment will not be a legacy of this pandemic".
