On January 1st 2021, the Budget Law for 2021 (Law 178/2020) came into force; please find below a summary of the main provisions related to employment.
Extension and renewal of fixed-term contracts
Without prejudice to the maximum overall duration of 24 months, it will be possible until 31 March 2021 to renew or extend fixed-term contracts for a maximum period of 12 months and for one time only, even without the conditions provided by law (i.e. (i) temporary and objective needs, unrelated to ordinary activities; (ii) needs to replace other absent workers; (iii) other needs related to temporary, significant and non-programmable increases in ordinary activity).
Suspension of dismissals
The suspension of dismissals for organisational or economic reasons, both individual and collective, has been extended until 31 March 2021 with the sole exception already provided (i.e., dismissals motivated by the definitive cessation of a company’s activities or bankruptcy, agreement with union providing incentives to terminate an employment relationship or a change of contractor).
Covid-19 social dumpers
Redundancy funds linked to Covid-19 (CIG) are extended for a duration of 12 weeks and can be requested in the following periods
– between 1 January and 31 March 2021 for companies using CIGO;
– between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2021 for companies using CIGD.
Social contribution exemption
Employers who do not apply for the Covid-19 redundancy funds can benefit from exemption from the payment of social security contributions for a maximum period of 8 weeks by 31 March 2021 within the limits of the hours of wage integration already used in May and June 2020.
Employers who have already applied for the exemption from social security contributions under the previous legislation may opt out and apply for the new redundancy funds.
The measure is subject to authorisation by the European Commission.
Contribution exemption for open-ended hiring
Social contribution exemption is provided for new open-ended hirings in relation to the following categories of employees.
Young employees: 100% exemption from social security contributions for a maximum period of 36 months, up to a limit of € 6,000 per year for new open-ended hirings and transformations of fixed-term contracts done in the period 2021-2022 of employees below 36 years old on the date of first hiring. Other conditions are provided by the Budget Law.
Women: 100% exemption from social security contributions for a maximum period of 18 months, up to a limit of € 6,000 per year, for new open-ended hirings done in the period 2021-2022 limited to the territories and under the conditions provided by the Budget Law. The maximum period is 12 months in the case of hiring with a fixed-term contract. In case of transformation of an already incentivised fixed-term contract into an open-ended contract, the benefit is available for a total of 18 months.
South and islands. The Budget Law also confirmed the contribution exemption for employees, including those already employed by companies, in Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily to the extent of 30% until 2025, 20% in 2026-27 and 10% in the following two-year period.
The measure is subject to authorisation by the European Commission.