Vouchers are making their way more and more into the Italian labor market. Last year alone, a good 115 million vouchers for casual (or ancillary) work were sold: a real explosion, considering that in 2010 – when co.co.co and co.co.pro dominated the scene – vouchers were no more than 10 million. Between 2013 and 2015, the number of employers who used this form of payment doubled (+100%), while the workers who received the vouchers increased by 137% and the number of vouchers soared by 142% . From 2008 to 2015, two and a half million Italian workers were paid with vouchers, going from 25 voucher holders eight years ago to 380 in 2015. The average age dropped from 60 to 36, while the average is less than 500 euros net per year. The data emerges from the VisitInps study on the use of job vouchers presented today in Venice by the social security institute together with Veneto Lavoro, an entity headed by the Region.
According to the analysis, which falls within the scope of the INPS dossier "The accessory work 2008-2015" (the complete working paper will be published on the INPS website in June), once the 2015 vouchers have been collected, they will give rise to around 860 million of compensation to workers, equal to approximately 45 net salaries man/year, and approximately 150 million in social security contributions.
The number of vouchers redeemed by workers who performed ancillary work concluded in 2015 amounted to almost 88 million. But be careful: this amount does not represent the redemption of vouchers sold in 2015, since the latter are used for activities carried out partly in the same year and partly subsequently. Symmetrically, the amount of 88 million vouchers collected for activities completed in 2015 relates to vouchers sold partly in the same year and partly previously.
The clients of ancillary workers who carried out activities in 2015 amounted to 473 thousand, while the providers involved amounted to 1,380 million. and job positions 1,730 ml. (this depends on the fact that a worker may have performed occasional work for more than one client).
Whatever variable is considered – occasional workers, clients, vouchers sold, vouchers redeemed, job positions – the growth is continuous in all years and particularly intense, in absolute terms, in the most recent period.
HOW MUCH ARE THE VOUCHERS WORTH?
The net value of the nominal 10 euro voucher, i.e. the net consideration for the service in favor of the worker, is equal to 7,50 euro and corresponds to the minimum wage for one hour of service. The net value of the 50 euro multiple voucher is 37,50 euro and that of the 20 euro voucher is 15 euro.
For the majority of ancillary workers, the volume of vouchers received is modest: on average in 2015 it was 60 vouchers per capita (similar to previous years). The median is decidedly lower: 29 vouchers.
Workers who have received more than 1 thousand euros net with vouchers (threshold equal to 133 vouchers of 10 euros) are 207 thousand while those who have received less than 500 euros (66 vouchers) are almost one million (of these, 213 thousand received from one to five vouchers per year).
WHICH WORKERS ARE PAID WITH VOUCHERS?
In 2015 the average age was 36 years. Women are in the majority and the incidence of non-EU workers is in line with the parameters generally observed for dependent work.
Ancillary workers in 2015 were classified according to their social security status in the same year. INPS identifies the following relevant groups:
– Pensioners: their share is equal to 8%. Three out of four are old-age pensioners. Among them, the share of those employed in agricultural activities is higher than in the other groups.
– Subjects never employed: they are equal to 14% (less than 200 thousand). These are essentially young people (the median is twenty). The presence of women is close to 60%. In this group, 30% have already received vouchers in previous years.
– Silent (formerly employed): they are around 23%. The average age is 37 years. Also in this case the share of women is significant (57%). Of the silent, about 40% were active (employed or compensated) in 2014, another 20% in 2013.
– Compensated (essentially recipients in 2015 of Aspi, MiniAspi or Naspi): they are 18% (about 252 thousand). Males prevail in this group and the average age is 37 years.
– Employed in private companies: they are 29% (almost 400 thousand). Among these are identified:
the. a share of around 26% of employed people with permanent and full-time employment contracts;
ii. a slightly higher share (28%) of permanent and part-time employees;
iii. a relatively larger group (46%) made up of employed people, especially young people, with fixed-term contracts.
– Other employed persons: finally, a share equal to 8% is made up of other employed persons (domestic workers, semi-subordinate workers, agricultural workers, self-employed workers, professional funds, civil servants). Their average age is almost 40 years old.
WHICH EMPLOYERS USE VOUCHERS?
In 2015, the 473 clients were distributed as follows:
a) Industry and Services: about 250 companies, more than half of which are hotels and tourism (75) and commerce (53). There were 42 industrial companies that used ancillary work (the relatively largest group is that of food companies). As for
companies in the construction sector, almost 14 used ancillary work. The business services and information technology sector is also important (over 20). Finally, it should be noted that this first set of customers (industrial and tertiary companies with employees) accounts for 52% in terms of number but 76% in terms of paid vouchers, out of all customers.
b) Agriculture: aggregating both farms with employees and self-employed farms, the buyers of ancillary work amount to 16.
c) Craftsmen and traders without employees: almost 65 thousand.
d) Finally, a group of clients, for which the classification activity is still ongoing, made up of about 145 subjects, equally divided between legal persons and natural persons. They represent 31% of customers but use only 19% of total vouchers.
In general, in 2015, clients used an average of 3,7 casual workers, but in the hotel-restaurant sector the share is higher (7,7). On average, each client spent just under 2 euros on vouchers. 64% of customers show a marginal use of ancillary workers: up to 5 workers and on average up to 70 vouchers per year.
There are about 700 large clients who have used more than 5 vouchers in all for more than 50 lenders and each has spent an average of 110 euros. These clients represent 0,15% of the total but concentrate 9% of the vouchers.
HOW MUCH IS OCCASIONAL WORK VALUE COMPARED TO EMPLOYEE WORK?
Compared to the total cost of non-agricultural private employee labor in 2015, the total cost of ancillary labor represented an average of 0,2%, varying between 0,5% in Sardinia and 0,1% in Lazio and Campania. If compared with private employees, occasional lenders are 9%, oscillating between 15% in Sardinia and minimum values in Lazio (4%) and Campania (5%).
GOVERNMENT AT WORK ON TRACEABILITY
Meanwhile, the legislative decree that will land in the Council of Ministers with the first changes to the structure of the Jobs Act will contain a correction as an anti-abus function, to the regulation of vouchers. The Minister of Labour, Giuliano Poletti, spoke of greater traceability. Basically, at least one hour before the start of the work performance, the client will have to communicate some information via text message or e-mail to the territorial office of the National Labor Inspectorate, or the tax code or personal data of the worker who pockets the voucher, place and duration of employment. There are also administrative sanctions in the event of violation: from 400 to 2.400 euros for each worker whose performance has not been communicated.
