New measures to support employees in response to the Ukrainian conflict

On 30 March 2022, Royal-Decree-Law 6/2022 on measures in response to the conflict in Ukraine was published.

The new measures are intended to provide support for employees given the increase in energy prices and costs that the conflict in Ukraine may cause for companies.

Despite the fact that many more measures were originally envisaged from a labor point of view, the final version of the Royal-Decree-Law 6/2022 introduced the following measures:

• The increase in energy costs may not be used as objective grounds for an objective dismissal of employees until 30 June 2022, for companies benefiting from specific public funds and supports (indicated in the Royal Decree-Law). Failure to comply with this obligation will mean repayment of the funds and support received.
• Companies using measures such as the reduction of working hours or the suspension of employment contracts, regulated in the section 47 of the Spanish Workers' Statute, due to grounds related to the conflict in Ukraine and that benefit from public funds or supports, may not use these grounds to terminate employees.
• Deferrals for payment of the Social Security quotas for the industry sector of urban and road transport and those in the Special Social Security Regime for sea employees have been approved.

Royal-Decree-Law 6/2022 entered into force on 31 March 2022. However, since it is a Royal Decree-Law, it must validated by the Spanish Congress of Deputies within 30 days.