In the Official State Gazette of Wednesday, 20/12/2023, Royal Decree-Law 7/2023 of 19 December was published, adopting urgent measures to complete the transposition of Directive (EU) 2019/1158 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the reconciliation of family and working life for parents and carers, and repealing Council Directive 2010/18/EU, and for the simplification and improvement of the level of unemployment protection.
This regulation amends the following articles of the Workers’ Statute with effect from 21/12/2023:
– Art. 37, on Weekly rest, holidays and leave, in section 4, with regard to the regulation of breastfeeding leave, eliminating the condition of its provision in a collective agreement or company agreement for the accumulation of breastfeeding hours, thus allowing all the possibilities of its enjoyment.
– Art. 84, on the concurrence of collective agreements, in paragraphs 3 and 4, which establishes the priority of application of agreements and accords signed at the regional level, provided that they are more favourable for workers than those established in national agreements or accords.
In addition, the same Royal Decree-Law 7/2023 of 19 December amends the General Social Security Law, with a date of entry into force, progressively, from 1 January 2024, referring to the reform of the welfare level of unemployment protection. It revises the basic characteristics of unemployment protection in its welfare level, in such a way that it extends its level of coverage by eliminating gaps in protection, simplifies and improves the requirements for accessing and maintaining it, and guarantees beneficiaries of subsidies access to personalised employment itineraries with the aim of improving their employability and promoting their integration into the labour market. It also makes it easier for citizens to find out about the procedures for meeting their unemployment obligations.
