European Foundation
for the Improvement of
Living and Working Conditions

The tripartite EU agency providing knowledge to assist
in the development of better social, employment and
work-related policies

EU PolicyWatch

Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure ES-2020-12/223 Updated – measures in Spain

Extension of protection for unemployment benefits

Real Decreto-ley 8/2020, de 17 de marzo, de medidas urgentes extraordinarias para hacer frente al impacto económico y social del COVID-19

Country Spain , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 17 March 2020 – 30 September 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Income protection beyond short-time work
– Income support for unemployed
Author Carlos Molina (UAB)
Measure added 31 March 2020 (updated 26 January 2022)

Background information

This extraordinary legislation supplements existing legislation of unemployment benefits. The content on extending unemployment protection in this Royal Decree 8/2020 mainly follows the proposals made by the social partners. The right to receive unemployment benefit is recognised even if the employee has not the minimum period of social contribution made and even he/she has a previous entitlement for receiving an unemployment benefit or allowance suspended.

Content of measure

It establishes that the entitlement of such benefits is recognised even if an employee being dismissed lacks the minimum period of paid employment / contribution to unemployment insurance necessary and even if at the time of the adoption of the business decision – of temporary dismissal - the right to unemployment benefit or subsidy was suspended.

Furthermore, the time in which this benefit is received for extraordinary circumstances is not computed regarding the entitlement to receive an unemployment protection benefit, in order to consume the maximum periods of perception established.

The duration of the of the benefit will be extended until the end of the suspension of the employment contract or temporary reduction of the working time, which are the causes entitling to ask for this benefit

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

07 January 2022

This policy measure was initially left open ended. On a later stage, an end was set to it.

Use of measure

Not known yet.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Unemployed
Does not apply to businesses Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role Consulted Consulted
Form Direct consultation outside a formal body Direct consultation outside a formal body

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

No involvement of social partners existed

Views and reactions

Unknown details at the time of first reporting

Sources

  • 31 March 2020: Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado (www.boe.es)

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Extension of protection for unemployment benefits, measure ES-2020-12/223 (measures in Spain), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/ES-2020-12_223.html

Share

Eurofound publications based on EU PolicyWatch

30 January 2023

 

Measures to lessen the impact of the inflation and energy crisis on citizens

Governments across the EU continue to implement policies to support citizens and businesses in the face of rising food and energy prices caused by the COVID-19 crisis and intensified by the war in Ukraine. This article summarises the policy responses as reported in Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch database from January to September 2022.

Article

12 September 2022

 

First responses to cushion the impact of inflation on citizens

Although the worldwide pandemic situation had already disrupted supply chains and triggered increases in energy and food prices in 2021, the situation deteriorated in 2022 with the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Article

12 September 2022

 

Policies to support EU companies affected by the war in Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses that governments across the EU have started to implement to support companies affected by the rising prices, and those with commercial ties to Ukraine, Russia or Belarus.

Article

5 July 2022

 

Policies to support refugees from Ukraine

This article summarises the first policy responses of EU Member States, including those of the social partners and other civil society actors, enabling refugees to exercise their rights under the Temporary Protection Directive.

Article

Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.