The Spanish Ministry of Labor has launched a 50 million euro employment plan to support municipalities affected by recent flooding, as part of a royal decree-law approved Tuesday by the Council of Ministers. The decree also reduces to five the number of days of actual work required to qualify for agricultural subsidies.
According to the Ministry, the funding will be provided as direct grants through the State Public Employment Service (SEPE) to finance the hiring of unemployed individuals by local authorities. These hires will contribute to labor insertion programs through public works and services of general and social interest, specifically aimed at reconstruction efforts in areas damaged by storms Leonardo and Marta.
The decree-law also eases access to unemployment benefits for seasonal agricultural workers. The requirement for minimum days worked in the preceding twelve months has been reduced from 35 to a minimum of five, for those residing or working in municipalities within the autonomous community of Andalusia. This change applies to workers under the Special System for Self-Employed Agricultural Workers.
Workers employed by companies and worker-members or employees of cooperatives, also impacted by the storms, will be considered as coming from a situation of force majeure. This designation provides additional protections and access to support measures.
The legislation addresses the specific situation of domestic workers, allowing for the total or partial suspension of employment contracts, or a reduction in working hours, when the provision of services is affected by the weather conditions. Affected workers will be eligible for contributory unemployment benefits without needing prior contributions or a qualifying period, according to ministry sources.
Alongside these measures, the Council of Ministers approved contracts for Defense totaling 5.910 billion euros on Tuesday, according to reporting from Diario Red. Separately, the government and unions reached an agreement to increase the minimum wage by 3.1% to 17,094 euros annually, a deal finalized without the participation of employer organizations, as reported by El Plural. Yolanda Díaz, the Minister of Labor, also approved a new statute for interns, aiming to eliminate “low cost” labor practices and the expectation of unpaid work, according to Libertad Digital. The Council of Ministers also approved an extension of three weeks to birth and childcare leave, as reported by EL PAÍS.
