In Spain, in recent years, the labor market has undergone numerous changes, precisely because of several consecutive crises. But there are debates that remain to be opened. In this sense, the general secretary of the UGT, Pepe Álvarez, has shown himself favorable this Thursday to withdraw the unemployment benefit and other public subsidies to the unemployed who reject offers work and receive training for it. Now, is this possible, does it already exist, or can it not be done?
What did Alvarez say?
“A person who rejects a job offer, offering training and having qualities and qualifications to be able to do soof course, he is a person who, if he is receiving a public subsidy, be it unemployment or the Minimum Vital Income (IMV), the country must consider whether it should continue receiving it or not”, the UGT leader commented at an informative meeting of The world.
Álvarez has admitted that “it is not normal” for the general secretary of a union to take that position, but he “sincerely” thinks so. The general secretary of UGT also considers that it is the more than 3 million unemployed in Spain who must be offered job vacancies instead of resorting to hiring at source.
What does SEPE say?
The SEPE, in theory, agrees with the proposal launched by Álvarez. “Be studying or having minor sons or daughters are not causes that justify the rejection of offers of employment or training courses”, the website collects. Thus, they add that one of the obligations when unemployment is being collected “is to actively seek employment and meet the requirements of the activity commitment that is included in the request for your benefit” .
In addition, the rejection of the “proper” offer or of “an information course” without just cause is considered a serious infraction. “This infraction is penalized with the loss of the benefit for three months the first time, six months if it recurs a second time and with the termination of the benefit if there is a third time,” explains the SEPE.
In this sense, they continue, “it is It is mandatory to justify the active search for employment and participation in improvement actions of employability that correspond to their habitual profession or their training skills, as determined in the insertion itinerary”. However, it will be voluntary for the beneficiaries of contributory benefits during the first thirty days of receipt, and non-participation the same, will not entail a penalty.
What happens if an unemployed person does not appear for the offers?
Again, if that happens, there will be a sanction for the infraction, since it will also be a serious offense. Regarding this, SEPE maintains a scale: the first infraction means the loss of three months of benefits, while the second extends that period to six months. If a third infraction is committed, the total extinction of the unemployment benefit will take place.
“will apply this scale from the first offense, regardless of the type of offense (that is, it does not always have to be an offer rejection, but it can be another of the serious infractions) and when no more than 365 days have elapsed between a serious infringement and the previous one,” concludes the SEPE.
In his explanation, Álvarez has indicated that the construction sector is the most interested in hiring foreign workers, since they allege that in Spain they cannot find people to carry out these functions. Álvarez has opposed this statement and has asked employers to go to the more than three million unemployed in the country and the nearly 300,000 people without papers before hiring abroad.
“The specialties that are requested are specialties that are in our country”, has assured. In his opinion, the problem in Spain is that job offers do not reach job seekers. To this is added that there is no “orientation in employment services” to train the unemployed in the specialties that will be necessary.
