This Monday’s Council of Ministers plans to approve a set of labor measures for workers affected by DANA that the second vice president and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, has baptized with the name ‘labor shield’.
This package of measures for those affected by DANA is the second adopted by the Government after last Tuesday it approved aid for those affected by the catastrophe valued at 10.6 billion euros.
The ‘labor shield’, which will have retroactive effects from October 29, will be made up of various measures, such as Temporary Employment Regulation Files (ERTE) due to force majeure or due to economic, technical, organizational or production causes (ETOP), to which companies located in the areas affected by the DANA may benefit, but also those that justify that their activity is has been affected by the storm, according to government sources consulted by Europe Press.
Workers included in ERTE who have their working hours reduced or their employment contract suspended by DANA have the right to a contributory benefit, 70% of the regulatory base, which does not require a prior contribution period and does not consume contribution periods either. Companies in ERTE will be exempt from paying 100% of contributions at least until February 28, 2025.
The Government estimates that the potential number of workers who could join an ERTE because they work in a municipality affected by DANA exceeds 350,000 people, with an approximate cost of 147.9 million euros.
The ‘labor shield’ includes, as a novelty, paid leave, with 100% of the salary, for workers who, due to DANA, cannot go to their workplace or telework. Unlike those that were implemented during the pandemic, these permits will be non-recoverable, so that the worker will not have to recover the hours not worked for the company.
These permits, which will not imply loss of contributions, will be borne by the companies, which may or may not be covered by an ERTE, and will have indefinite periods (the days of leave will not be assessed), except in the case of leave due to the death of family members. , which is extended to five days from the date of the funeral.
The reasons why workers may take advantage of these permits are diverse.. Thus, workers who cannot travel to work will be able to access them if travel poses a danger to their safety and health or interferes with rescue and recovery efforts in areas affected by DANA.
It will also be possible to collect paid leave when workers have to attend to search tasks for their missing relatives or take care of their death; when, as a result of the loss of their homes or belongings, they are not able to go to work, or when remote work is not possible due to lack of devices or coverage.
Workers who are calm, because they will receive and contribute for effective work as if nothing had happened
In all these cases, all workers may be absent from their jobs and take these non-recoverable paid leaves. “What we have done is adjust a multitude of causes precisely to the granting of paid leave, which is why I want to send a message of peace of mind to workers. For example, when there are mobility problems, coverage is provided for paid leave. Therefore, workers should be calm, because they will receive and contribute for effective work as if nothing had happened,” Vice President Díaz herself explained last Friday.
BENEFIT FOR HOUSEHOLD EMPLOYEES AND MECUIDA PLAN
The ‘labor shield’ to which the Council of Ministers will give the green light this Monday also includes an extraordinary benefit for domestic workers, 70% of the regulatory base, without a waiting period (that is, without the need to meet a minimum contribution period) and without consumption of contributions.
Furthermore, sources from the Executive have indicated to Europa Press that the causes for accessing this benefit will be simplified, for example, in the event that the employer dies, is missing or has no address.
As was done during the pandemic, the Ministry of Labor will launch a plan, called ‘Plan Mecuida’, which will allow workers to adapt or reduce their working hours up to 100% to care for minors and other family members.
He ‘Mecuida Plan’ It contemplates all the possibilities of adapting the working day: from teleworking, to the adaptation of the working schedule and the reduction of the working day, even up to 100% of it. According to Executive sources, these conciliation rights are configured as individual rights.
Along with all this, Labor will ‘prohibit’ dismissals due to DANA (dismissals will be considered null and void) and temporary contracts will be suspended, without being able to be rescinded.
In addition to the ‘labor shield’, the Minister of Economy, Commerce and Business, Carlos Body, announced last Friday that tomorrow’s Council of Ministers will approve new aid for those affected by DANA, which they will be able to repay in five or seven years.
“We are going to put some aid on the table that will be able to be returned in five or seven years. This will be finalized next Monday in the Council of Ministers,” said the minister.
All these measures are added to the state aid plan for the areas affected by DANA, valued at 10.6 billion euros, which the Government approved last Tuesday and which includes direct aid and tax measures for families, companies and the self-employed. .
In this plan and within the scope of Social Security, the implementation of an extraordinary Temporary Disability (IT) was included, which will allow the collection of 75% of the salary from the first day, to workers and self-employed workers with physical or mental injuries. psychological problems caused by DANA.
Likewise, the increase by 15% and for an initial period of three months, extendable, of the Minimum Living Income (IMV) and non-contributory pensions has already been approved, which will become effective at the end of this month, without need of any procedure.
#Government #approve #Monday #labor #shield #affected #DANA #permits #salary
