La Cig for the heat returns to being one of the main tools for managing theemergency linked to the heat waves that are hitting Italy. The cabinet has in fact reintroduced the possibility of resorting to the redundancy fund by way of derogation due to extreme heat, confirming the measures already adopted in previous years to protect workers and businesses exposed to the risk of extreme temperatures.
The decision comes amidst a particularly heated and anticipated climate, which has brought the issue back to the center of Palazzo Chigi's agenda.
READ MORE Extreme heat, Europe in the grip of sultriness and costs
Hot-weather layoffs: when does redundancy pay kick in?
Heat-related layoffs can be requested by companies forced to suspend or reduce work activities due to so-called "exceptional heat waves." According to INPS guidelines, heat-related layoffs are triggered when the actual or perceived temperature exceeds 35 degrees Celsius, but they can also be recognized below this threshold in the presence of high humidity or other factors that increase the risk of heat stress, such as intense physical exertion, direct exposure to the sun, or the use of protective devices that increase body temperature.
The measure provides workers with financial protection equal to approximately 80% of their wages for hours not worked and applies primarily to sectors most exposed to heat, such as construction, agriculture, quarries, logistics, and all activities performed outdoors or in non-air-conditioned environments. In these contexts, the risk associated with high temperatures is considered particularly high, especially during the central hours of the day.
Red alert and heat emergency in Italy
The issue of redundancy payments due to heatwaves is part of a climate emergency situation confirmed by data from the Ministry of Health, which reported 15 Italian cities on June 23rd as having been placed on a red alert, the highest alert level for heatwaves: Bologna, Bolzano, Brescia, Florence, Frosinone, Milan, Perugia, Pescara, Rieti, Rome, Turin, Verona, Ancona, Venice e Viterbo.
Orange dot instead for Latina e Bari.
The next day, Wednesday June 24, the situation worsens with the addition of Latina among the cities on maximum alert.
Regional ordinances: work suspended during the hottest hours
Alongside the redundancy fund for heat, many Italian regions they introduced specific ordinances to limit or suspend the work activities during the hottest hours of the day, generally between 12:30 and 16:00, often using thermal risk maps such as those from Worklimate to establish the danger levels. In several territories, such as Toscana, Emilia Romagna and Lombardy, Lazio, Puglia, Veneto, Lombardia, Liguria, Piedmont e Sicilia, the anti-heat measures They include bans or restrictions for construction sites, agriculture, logistics, and work exposed to the sun, with varying deadlines extending until the end of August or September.
