Emergency measures to find farm workers during the COVID-19 crisis

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. Unemployed people, workers with suspended contracts, migrants with expired work permits, and foreign young people aged 18 to 21 with legal status can take temporary farm jobs without losing their benefits.
2. Earnings from these farm jobs are compatible with unemployment subsidies, the farm income benefit, and other benefits, but not with temporary disability or contributory permanent disability pensions.
3. Only people living near the workplace can take these jobs: in the same municipality or a neighboring one, though regional governments can adjust this rule.
4. Employers must guarantee COVID-19 prevention measures, wages must be paid by bank transfer, and pay cannot be below the collective agreement or the minimum wage.
5. Since public offices are closed, Social Security and the public employment service can decide benefit applications provisionally, using sworn statements and alternative documents, and review them later.
6. Fees are waived for clinical trials and manufacturing licenses for health products related to COVID-19, and civil servants covered by MUFACE and MUGEJU on sick leave keep receiving their full pay.

Who it affects

• Unemployed people and benefit recipients: They can work temporarily on farms without losing their benefits.
• Workers with contracts suspended due to business closures: They can use these measures, unless they receive benefits under Royal Decree-Lawroyal decree-law A rule with the force of law that the Government passes because it is urgent. It applies from its publication, but the Congreso must validate it within 30 days or it lapses. 8/2020.
• Migrants and foreign young people aged 18 to 21: They can extend or obtain work permits to work on farms.
• Farmers and livestock breeders: They find workers for the harvest seasons.
• Self-employed workers: Their activity-cessation benefit is clarified and they can request six-month deferrals of Social Security payments.

Words worth knowing

Prestación por desempleo

Unemployment benefit: money the State pays to people out of work.

Subsidio

A cash benefit, here for unemployed people who do not qualify for the regular benefit.

Salario mínimo interprofesional (SMI)

The minimum wage: the lowest pay the law allows for any worker.

Incapacidad temporal

Temporary disability or sick leave: when a worker cannot work due to illness or accident.

Declaración responsable

A sworn statement: a document where a person declares the facts are true, without providing proof yet.

royal decree-law

A rule with the force of law that the Government passes because it is urgent. It applies from its publication, but the Congreso must validate it within 30 days or it lapses.

decree-law

A rule with the force of law that the Government passes because it is urgent. It applies from its publication, but the Congreso must validate it within 30 days or it lapses.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries