Esquerra laments that the package announced by the Spanish government does not regulate paid leave for force majeure beyond 4 days: “Failure to regulate this situation at present leaves thousands of workers in legal limbo”

“The consequences of the flooding that has ravaged the Valencian Country have been devastating for thousands of people,” lamented Esquerra Republicana Senator Jordi Gaseni when he announced that his parliamentary group in the Senate had entered a motion with proposals calling to solve urgent problems for workers affected by the floods. He explained that these measures have been omitted from the so-called “labour shield” announced this week by Minister of Labour and Social Economy Yolanda Díaz.

Specifically, at Esquerra “we do not understand” why this initial package does not legislate for paid leave beyond 4 days for force majeure. “Failure to regulate this situation leaves thousands of workers in legal limbo,” the senator decried. It is in this regard that Esquerra calls on the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy to “urgently” include within the legal framework known as the “labour shield” those workers who “are unable to reach their places of work beyond the fourth day of paid leave.”

In addition, Mr Gaseni urges the minister for labour that “the retroactive effects that are regulated with the labour shield should also be applicable to workers who have already used up their four days of paid leave.” The senator also considers it essential to “reinforce inspection services to detect, prevent and sanction bad practices that businesses may engage in against their workers.”

Finally, Gaseni urged the Spanish government to “think about the future” so as to prevent similar situations and demanded that they “legislate so that in situations of red alert, the right to absence from work is enshrined, with the exception of essential services, to prevent roads to and from businesses from becoming death traps for workers.”