Close to 330,000 self-employed workers and people on ERTE receive direct aid from the Generalitat this quarter

The Department of Labor, Social Affairs and Families of the Generalitat has finally allocated 468.35 million euros to the aid plan for the first quarter of 2021 for self-employed professionals economically affected by Covid-19 and for low-income workers included in a temporary employment regulation file (ERTE) or with a permanent-discontinuous contract. The beneficiaries are a total of 329,188 people and the Government expects to make the payment of the aid effective before next March 31.

The registration for applicants for these aids closed last February and both benefits have been worked on, respectively, with social agents in the Catalan Council of Self-Employment and in the Council of Social Dialogue of Catalonia.

In the presentation of the results of the aid, the Minister of Labor, Social Affairs and Families, Chakir el Homrani, wanted to emphasize that "the aid to people in ERTE is the most important complementary aid that has been given to workers in this situation in the Spanish State." "It is a commitment to be able to reach the maximum number of people who are in a situation of vulnerability linked to the economic, social and labor crisis derived from the Covid-19 health crisis," highlighted the minister.

Aid for self-employment

A total of 187,392 self-employed workers will receive the aid of 2,000 euros in this first quarter. The Department will finally allocate 374.78 million euros to the current call for the maintenance of the activity of self-employed workers affected by the economic consequences of Covid-19. This represents 94.78 million euros more than initially planned.

In Catalonia there are currently 327,771 self-employed individuals, so 57.17% of the total have applied for and will receive the benefit.

This is the fourth extraordinary aid that the Department of Labor, Social Affairs and Families grants to self-employed people to face the consequences of Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. In all 4 calls, the Government has responded to nearly 340,000 applications and has allocated more than 666 million euros.

Aid for workers in ERTE and with permanent-discontinuous contracts

This is an extraordinary aid with a single payment with the aim of complementing the loss of purchasing power of people with lower incomes affected by an ERTE as a consequence of the total or partial suspension of their employment contracts, derived from the preventive and containment measures adopted to mitigate Covid-19.

The aid is also aimed at people with permanent-seasonal contracts receiving extraordinary benefits. After the initial announcement, the Government decided to extend the benefit to these workers because they are also a group heavily affected by the crisis since they usually dedicate themselves to seasonal activities and the service sector, such as waiters/waitresses, ski instructors, or lifeguards, among other examples.

A total of 141,796 people will receive this aid, of which 134,494 are included in an ERTE and 7,302 have a permanent-seasonal contract.

The proposed amount agreed upon in the Consell del Diàleg Social de Catalunya is a single payment of between 600 and 900 euros, depending on the time the worker has been in ERTE. In this sense, 4 brackets have been established:

• Up to 3 months in ERTE: 600 euros
• Between 4 and 5 months in ERTE: 700 euros
• Between 6 and 7 months in ERTE: 800 euros
• Between 8 and 10 months in ERTE: 900 euros

According to data from the Ministry of Labor, the month of February closed in Catalonia with 190,902 workers with an active ERTE. Therefore, 70.45% of the people in this situation, in addition to 7,302 permanent-seasonal workers, will receive this direct aid promoted by the Government.