Background information

All workers affected by temporary collective dismissals or reduced working time schemes will have the right to receive unemployment benefits even if they do not meet the minimum contribution period required for it. In this case, the worker will have right to unemployment assistance benefit.

Moreover, for future unemployment spells, the period receiving unemployment benefits under temporary collective dismissals or reduced working time schemes due to COVID-19 will not be considered as consumed ('counter to zero' policy). The objective of this measure is to make sure that all workers under these procedures will receive income support.

For more information on the temporary layoff scheme see the following cases:

• Exemption from payment of social contributions by companies in case of temporary collective dismissal or use of reduced working time schemes
• Emergency measures to speed temporary layoffs and short time work schemes for cooperatives .
• Tripartite agreement to extend the special unemployment protection scheme associated to temporary collective redundancy or short-time work regulation .

Content of measure

This measure applies to all workers under a temporary collective dismissal or reduced working time procedure, including those in cooperatives.

In all cases it is required that the contract has been signed prior to the date of entry into force of the law containing this measure.

The measures provided for in this regulation shall be applicable to the affected workers, both if, at the time of the adoption of the temporary collective dismissal or reduced working time procedure, they had a previous right to unemployment benefit or subsidy suspended and if they lacked the minimum period of listed employment to cause right to contributory benefit, or had not received previous unemployment benefit.

Use of measure

There are no estimates yet as to the number of workers affected.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Employees in standard employment Unemployed	Does not apply to businesses	Does not apply to citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies Public employment service Social insurance	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: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Social partners were not involved in designing, implementing or monitoring this measure.

Views and reactions

Social partners were consulted about this measure before approval and were supportive of this policy.

Sources

• 18 March 2020: Royal Decree-Law 8/2020, of March 17, on extraordinary and urgent measures to face the economic and social impact of COVID-19. (www.boe.es)
• 22 February 2022: Extension of measures to face vulnerabilities situaciones de vulnerabilidad social y económica (www.boe.es)