The Government processes the aid for companies that reduce the weekly working day to four days

The Regional Ministry of Employment has begun processing the call for applications for aid for those companies that voluntarily agree to implement the four-day working day, for which the Government will provide an initial allocation of 400,000 euros for the years 2023 and 2024, according to what was presented yesterday at the meeting held by the regional executive. The councillor, Iago Negueruela, pointed out that this amount could be increased depending on the demand received.

The spokesman of the Executive recalled that the objective is to improve the quality of employment and facilitate conciliation, by setting a subsidy of 5,000 euros per worker to whom the working day is reduced to four days or 32 hours a week without cutting the salary, with a maximum contribution of 200,000 euros per company.

To access this aid, companies that do not reach 10 workers must reduce the working day of at least 30% of the workforce, with a minimum of two people. For those with between 10 and 49 employees, the percentage of 30% is maintained and the minimum becomes three workers. Finally, for companies with 50 or more employees, the percentage is 20% and the minimum is five employees.

The proposal for the number of people participating in the plan must contemplate a similar participation of men and women to that existing in the workforce, with a maximum deviation of 10%.

Model for the future

The Councilor for Labor was convinced that in the future, and hand in hand with technological advances, there will be a move towards a shorter full working day, and he pointed out the need to avoid the commitment to part-time hiring.

This call for subsidies is currently being processed by the General Intervention for its prior audit, and once this procedure is passed, it will be published in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB).