Expanding the benefit for caring for sick children

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would remove the current requirement that the sick child be hospitalized. It would be enough for the child to need direct, continuous and permanent care at home or through outpatient treatment.
2. The bill would remove the age limit on the sick person. The benefit could continue after the child turns 18 if the need for care continues and the person depends financially on the caregiver.
3. The bill would expand who qualifies. Besides biological or adoptive parents, it would include those who have the minor in permanent foster care or in guardianship for adoption purposes.
4. Both parents or foster caregivers could reduce their work hours and split the benefit in proportion to each reduction, instead of only one of them collecting it.
5. The bill details how the benefit is calculated and paid: it would equal 100% of the regulatory base, adjusted by the percentage of reduced hours, and would require cutting work hours by at least half.
6. The law would apply to applications filed from its entry into force and to those pending without a decision. It would take effect on January 1 of the year after its approval.

Who it affects

• Parents, permanent foster caregivers and guardians for adoption who care for a child with cancer or another serious illness.: They could reduce their work hours and collect the benefit in more cases than now, with no age limit on the patient and even without hospitalization.
• Employees, self-employed workers and discontinuous household employees.: The benefit would be recognized if they reduce their hours or partially stop their activity to care for the patient.
• Public employees.: They would be entitled to a work-hour reduction of at least half, with full pay, to care for the patient.
• Families where both parents work, and single-parent families.: They could split the benefit between the two or have one parent collect it, as agreed.

Words worth knowing

Prestación or subsidio (benefit)

Money paid by Social Security to someone who meets the requirements, in this case for caring for a sick child.

Acogimiento familiar permanente (permanent foster care)

A legal arrangement in which a family takes in a minor on a stable, long-term basis without adopting them.

Guarda con fines de adopción (guardianship for adoption)

A measure by which a person or family takes care of a minor while a possible adoption is being processed.

Base reguladora (regulatory base)

The reference amount, calculated from contributions, used to determine how much a benefit pays.

Incapacidad temporal (temporary disability)

A situation in which a worker cannot work due to illness or accident and receives a benefit while it lasts.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries