Labor prepares a “labor shield” for these affected by dana with impact from October 29 | Economy | EUROtoday

The second vice chairman of the Government and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, introduced this Monday that the Executive is ending the event of a “labor shield” just like the one authorized within the pandemic, whose goal will likely be “that not one firm, not one employee”. The objective of the measures already available and future ones will be, according to Diaz, “to save the entire Valencian productive fabric, direct and indirect.” The different ministries involved are finishing the drafting of all the measures that will make it up, at the expense of whether it will be approved in full, or only in part, in the Council of Ministers this Tuesday, according to sources from the social agents.

In a solemn manner and after meeting in Valencia with those responsible for the Generalitat Valenciana and the employers’ and union leaders of this community, Díaz sent several messages. To the workers, he has told them “not to be afraid if they are absent from work” for various reasons. Among others, he mentioned “cleaning, draining garages, removing sludge, looking for family or friends.” Likewise, he has referred to being “going through grief” or “if they have lost vehicles, homes or their belongings; and also if they should stay taking care of their children, their elders or all types of emotional ties.” Likewise, it has included “lack of connectivity” as a justified reason for not working. He has told all those who are in these situations that “they do not have to go to work” and has promised that “all those who have already been absent” will have “non-recoverable paid leave.”

Díaz has highlighted that Labor will give legal coverage to all these circumstances and to the rest of the labor shield measures that are approved for companies, workers and the self-employed. And he has also guaranteed that all of this “will have legal effectiveness from the day of the catastrophe, since last October 29.” The importance of the date lies in the fact that on that day there could have already been workers who, due to weather alerts, made decisions not to go to their jobs.

The vice president’s second message was for companies, which she asked “to respect the law.” “If not, the Labor Inspection will act with all force,” he warned. Likewise, he has demanded that employers “not fire anyone” and that they keep jobs “because there are public resources for it.” In this sense, it has announced that the labor shield it is preparing “will incorporate the limitations and prohibitions on dismissal” of those affected that were already in force during the pandemic.

In return, it has also guaranteed companies that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Security, the Government will guarantee that business owners “have the same protection mechanisms that they had in the pandemic.” For this, a series of measures will be approved that relax deadlines and payment settlements. “We are going to do it again,” said Díaz, referring to the more than half a million companies that managed to save themselves after the health crisis.

The vice president recalled that the Temporary Employment Regulation Files (ERTE) due to force majeure and benefits for cessation of activity, also due to force majeure, are now available to all companies for the self-employed. Although the labor shield must modify the current regulations to approve the access of all workers to these mechanisms even if they have not contributed the minimum legal time and so that the collection of unemployment benefits during the time that their employment is suspended or their hours reduced do not consume part of your right to unemployment insurance.

The labor defend will reactivate the so-called plan Mecuida of the pandemic, which ensures conciliation rights, together with the discount of as much as 100% of the working day (and wage) with out the necessity for the employee to request a go away of absence, “from now on.”