On 23 February 2022 two Royal Decrees were published in the Official Gazette - Royal Decree-Law 2/2022 on Covid-19 employment measures and Royal Decree 152/2022 on the minimum national wage for 2022.
Extension of ERTEs due to COVID-19
ERTEs due to COVID-19 (allowing a suspension and / or reduction of working hours) in force on 24 February 2022 will be automatically extended until 31 March 2022.
The measures of Royal Decree 18/2021 are also extended without prejudice to the contribution benefits indicated below.
See the table below for the exemption percentages of the employer's contribution in March 2022:
| Companies with 10 or more employees | Companies with less than 10 employees | |||
| If the Company does not provide training to the affected employees | If the Company does develop training for the employees affected by the ERTE | If the Company does not provide training to the affected employees | If the Company does develop training for the employees affected by the ERTE | |
| ERTEs due to limitations to business activity | 20% | 60% | 30% | 60% |
| ERTEs due to impediment to business activity | 90% | 90% | ||
Unemployment protection measures for discontinuous permanent employees are extended until 31 March 2022.
The MECUIDA Plan continues to apply until 30 June 2022.
Measures have been established to allow employees to reduce their working day in order to take care of children (including fostered and adopted children) with cancer or other serious illnesses, up to the age of 18 years.
The extraordinary access to unemployment benefits available to artists who take part in public performances who are not affected by ERTEs and the exceptional unemployment benefits for technical and auxiliary personnel in the culture sector have also been extended.
Finally, the General Social Security Law introduces social protection for workers in ERTEs due to force majeure through contributory unemployment benefits:
- The amount of the benefit will be determined by applying a percentage of 70% to the regulatory base for the duration of the measure; this benefit will not indicate the consumption of contributions for any purpose;
- The persons affected will be able to take the unemployment benefit, even if they have not reached the minimum qualifying period of employment.
Minimum wage
The minimum wage for 2022 is set at EUR 33.33 a day or EUR 1,000 a month (previously EUR 32.17 a day and EUR 965 a month). This is an increase of 3.5% from last year.
The minimum wage provisions for 2022 came into force in February 2022 and the salary increase has effect from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2022.
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