The Jobs Act changes again. There are many changes arriving with the legislative decree containing supplementary and corrective provisions of the Jobs Act approved by the Council of Ministers on 23 September last. From vouchers to extraordinary layoffs, through solidarity contracts and disability, the reform of the Renzi government will be implemented in order to meet the new needs of the labor market.
At the moment the text is awaiting the signature of the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and will enter into force after its publication in the Official Gazette.
Voucher: important news coming soon
Among the most important innovations are undoubtedly the new rules regarding vouchers, created in order to avoid the abuse of this tool by employers after the boom recorded by INPS in 2015 and 2016.
Going into detail, the changes aim to ensure greater traceability, obliging non-agricultural entrepreneurs or professionals to communicate to the territorial headquarters of the National Labor Inspectorate, at least 60 minutes before the start of the service, the personal data or the tax code of the worker, the place, day and time of start and end of the service. The communication can be made by text message or e-mail. As far as agricultural entrepreneur clients are concerned, however, the same rules are envisaged, but the time allowed for communication changes, which must be equal to or less than three days.
In the event of failure to communicate, the decree provides for penalties equal to those in force for intermittent work, consisting of a “fine of between 400 and 2400 euros for each worker for whom the omission has occurred.
Jobs Act: the amendments to the Cigs
Workers on extraordinary layoffs in complex crisis areas who cease to enjoy the benefit in the period between 1 July and 31 December 2016 will be able to access an extension for a further 12 months.
Access will be allowed to companies that present an employment recovery plan accompanied by active labor policies agreed with the region and aimed at re-employment of workers.
In addition to the extension, the decree provides for an increase in the resources destined for the payment of the CIGS for companies seized or confiscated from organized crime or recipients of an anti-mafia interdiction. Furthermore, the percentage of unspent loans that local authorities will be able to use for the granting of social shock absorbers increases from 5% to 50%.
Companies of significant strategic interest for the national economy and which have concluded agreements with the government by 31 July 2015 can request reiteration of the contribution reduction for up to 24 months.
Jobs Act: solidarity contracts
The "defensive" solidarity contracts can be transformed into "expansive" ones in order to favor the increase in the workforce and the introduction of new skills. The transformation will only affect contracts that have been in progress for at least one year and those stipulated before 1 January 2016.
Jobs Act: disability
As far as disability is concerned, some organizational and management issues of the ISFOL and ANPAL Inspectorate have been clarified, while some additions concern the discipline of labor law for people with disabilities.
