The Latest Spanish Property News from Kyero.com
July 18th, 2007
The Spanish parliament has passed a law designed to improve the status and protect rights of self-employed workers.
Since Brits discovered the benefits of moving to Spain, the majority of younger expats have lived the dream of being their own boss, starting up companies such as construction firms or holiday ventures. However, until now they have always faced discrimination by the Spanish government, with a lack of sick pay entitlements, no paternity or maternity leave, and no minimum health and safety conditions in the workplace.
The new statute, named Estatuto del Trabajo Autónomo (The Statute of Self-Employed Work), is the first attempt in 40 years that the Spanish government has attempted to rectify these failings, which affect conditions for more than three million people in Spain. It is the first law ever to specifically regulate this sector, and has dissolved inequalities between the self-employed and salaried workers, ensuring that all workers receive social security protection, regardless of their status.
Under the law, self-employed men will be entitled to 15 days’ paternity leave while self-employed women will have their maternity rights extended to match those of salaried mothers. Self-employed workers will receive full unemployment benefit in the event of them losing work as a result of circumstances beyond their control, and will be entitled to sick pay resulting from both illness and accidents. Self-employed workers in especially dangerous sectors will be entitled to early retirement and minimum health and safety conditions in the workplace will apply.
Unusually, the bill was approved unanimously by both of Spain’s opposing political parties, and has been rated by the Socialist party as one of the most important laws to be passed in the country since the 1980s.
