Background information

One of the groups who have been more damaged as a consequence of the COVID-19 are workers in the cultural sector. In order to support this group, the Council of Ministers has approved a Royal Decree-Law on complementary social measures for unemployment protection and support for the cultural sector. These are important measures for the improvement and adaptation of the protection framework for workers affected by the economic effects of the health crisis.

Content of measure

Special unemployment benefit

This new policy measure has been submitted to Social Dialogue and was included in the II Social Agreement in Defense of Employment and was materialized in the fourth additional provision of Royal Decree-Law 24/2020 of June 26. It will cover those who have exhausted their benefits between March 14 and June 30, 2020 and do not have access to other aid or the possibility of joining the labor market.

The potential beneficiaries must be unemployed and registered in the public systems as applicants. People who are serving the month of waiting to access the subsidy for the exhaustion of the contributory benefit will also be able to access the subsidy.

The subsidy will not be compatible with the receipt of the minimum income, inclusion income, social salary or similar aid from any public administration.

Extension of extraordinary access to unemployment for public performance artists

The validity, until January 31, 2021, of access to unemployment benefit for this group will be maintained. This benefit is incompatible with any other benefit or social aid granted by any Public Administration.

Subsidy for technical and auxiliary personnel of culture

Meetings have been held with groups representing the culture sector to address their labor needs. Technical and auxiliary personnel from the culture sector who have provided services on behalf of others for the realization of an event, a work or public performance in any medium or means of dissemination, may receive an unemployment benefit.

Potential beneficiaries must prove a contribution period of at least 35 days. They must also be registered in the public employment services and must not have a full-time job, either self-employed or employed. The subsidy is incompatible with receiving other types of aid and will last three months.

Unemployment benefit for bullfighting professionals

Bullfighting workers, affected by the declaration of the State of Alarm and the restrictions adopted by the health authorities during their usual period of activity, have not been able to contribute what is necessary to generate the right to unemployment benefit in accordance with their special contribution scheme to Social Security, being, therefore, in a special situation of vulnerability.

Coinciding with the end of the bullfighting season, an extraordinary access to the contributory unemployment benefit is now recognized for bullfighting professionals, which will run until January 31, 2021.

Use of measure

No data available.

Target groups

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

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Social partners jointly	National funds

Social partners

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

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	Consulted	Consulted
Form	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies	Consultation through tripartite or bipartite social dialogue bodies

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

• Social partners jointly
• Main level of involvement: Peak or cross-sectoral level

Involvement

Social partners agreed in the II Social Agreement in Defense of Employment on the need to support workers and companies in the cultural sector. This policy measure results from this commitment.

Views and reactions

Both trade unions and employers strongly support this policy measure.

Sectors and occupations

Sources

• 26 June 2020: Royal Decree 24/2020 (www.boe.es)