In Spain, thousands of people receive unemployment benefits. The subsidy, commonly called the dole, is financial aid whose duration and amount depend on the unemployment contributions the worker has made over the last six years.
To access the dole, a person must be registered with Social Security as unemployed, be in a legal unemployment status, be registered as a job seeker, sign the activity agreement, not have reached the ordinary retirement age, not receive a Social Security pension that conflicts with work, and have worked and paid into unemployment for at least 360 days within the previous six years. There are other subsidies if this is not the case.
How you can lose the unemployment benefit
One of these points may be one of the most overlooked but can trigger sanctions or even result in the loss of the subsidy. It concerns meeting the requirements of the activity agreement, also known as the commitment to activity.
This agreement is a document signed when applying for unemployment. It includes activities aimed at active job searching, reintegration into the labor market, and improving employability. The public employment service is obligated to provide a personalized plan tailored to each person s profession, training, and experience. The plan includes progress monitoring by a tutor and the offering of activities and services that facilitate returning to the labor market.
This commitment also imposes obligations on the unemployed, who commit to participating in educational activities and other options, to accept suitable job offers, and to prove compliance with the agreed actions.
Failing to comply with the activity agreement can lead to suspension of the subsidy or loss of the subsidy for several months, depending on the seriousness and recurrence.
Sanctions for failing to comply with the activity agreement
Sanctions are classified as minor and major. On the SEPE website all these infringements can be consulted; among those classified as minor is failing to meet the activity requirements unless there is a justified cause or force majeure, as long as the conduct is not classified as another minor or major infringement in this article. The sanctions would be the following:
- 1st infringement: Loss of the subsidy for one month.
- 2nd infringement: Loss for three months.
- 3rd infringement: Loss for six months.
- 4th infringement: Permanent extinction of the subsidy.
Among the major infringements are refusing a suitable job offer and refusing to participate in actions, programs or activities proposed by the SEPE to improve employability and access to the labor market. The sanctions are:
- 1st infringement: Loss of the subsidy for three months.
- 2nd infringement: Loss for six months.
- 3rd infringement: Permanent extinction of the subsidy.
If the subsidy is suspended, it will be necessary to reactivate the activity agreement. In case of extinction, to regain the subsidy it is essential to work again and to be in a legal unemployment status.