The issue of 100% paid lay-off became a battle in Parliament after the Government advanced with the idea, but later retreated, which generated criticism in the discussion of support programs for populations affected by bad weather in Portugal, from the end of January to mid-February.
The parliamentary assessment of the decree-law with which the Government created the social support and simplified lay-off regime for the areas affected by Storm Kristin, taken to the plenary last Wednesday by Livre, PCP and Bloco de Esquerda, was sent to the Parliamentary Committee on Labor, Solidarity and Social Security.
After CDS-PP warned of dangers of unconstitutionality and the Government pointed out that the brake rule to prevent further spending could be activated, the tug of war between AD and opposition parties will have a new round.
Even so, committed to obtaining approval, the BE adds two new articles that provide for full lay-off remuneration with compensation from next year’s State Budget. Thus, the accommodation of the measures would be transposed to the 2027 OE, so that the brake rule would not be called into question, even if the party considers that the increase in expenditure in this year’s budget would not be enough to prevent approval.
José Manuel Pureza assured DN, on Monday, that the “lay-off issue does not violate the brake law”, considering it a “tiny argument, a subterfuge”. “Whether we have a deficit or surplus is a matter of evaluation. Answers have to be given to the population. Sometimes we have positive accounts and this surplus dogma, but we disinvest in public services. It’s important to make the right choices”, he told DN.
The articles in question that BE presents want to see reflected in the decree-law the right to 100% of the salary for those affected by bad weather, which, during the first 60 days, is paid 80% of its amount by the competent public service in the area of social security and 20% by the employer, subsequently being paid 70% by the public service and 30% by the employer.
It is worth remembering that last week, the PS’s abstention ensured that all Left Bloc bills to provide additional support to victims of bad weather were rejected, unlike what happened with the PAN bill that created an exceptional financial support regime for animal protection entities affected by extreme weather events. The debate had been marked by Fabian Figueiredo, sole BE deputy.
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