Smart working, cutting the wedge and single check instead of the citizen’s income: all the news of the work decree

After the green light from the Senate, the yes of the Chamber arrives to the trust placed by the government on the Labor decree. Final approval of the provision is expected on Thursday. Several innovations introduced in the world of work by the decree passed by the meeting of the CDM on 1 May: they range from the farewell to the basic income which is replaced by the inclusion allowance to a further cut in the tax wedge, but only until 2023 , to the changes on fixed-term contracts up to the extension of smart working.

Single allowance instead of the basic income: The Inclusion allowance was established from 1 January 2024, a measure of economic support and social and professional inclusion and to combat poverty and social exclusion of the weakest groups. The text provides for the recognition – at the request of one of the members of the family nucleus – of the benefit to guarantee the need for inclusion of the members of families with disabilities, as well as minors or those with at least sixty years of age or members in a condition disadvantaged and included in treatment and assistance programs of the local social-health services certified by the public administration. For access to the benefit, various requirements must be met – at the time of submitting the request and for the entire duration of use of the benefit – with reference to citizenship, residence and stay, economic condition, enjoyment of durable goods and to other indicators of the standard of living, to the non-submission to a personal precautionary measure, to a preventive measure, and to the lack of definitive sentences of conviction, requisites that must be possessed jointly. The Inclusion Allowance, which replaces the Citizenship Income, is disbursed on an annual basis, and consists of: an integration of the family income up to the threshold of 6,000 euros per year, or 7,560 euros per year if the family nucleus consists by all persons aged 67 or over or by persons aged 67 or over and by other family members all in conditions of serious disability or non-self-sufficiency; a supplement to the income of households residing in a house leased with a duly registered contract, for an amount equal to the amount of the annual rent provided for in the lease contract (as declared for Isee purposes) up to a maximum of 3,360 euros per year, or 1,800 euros per year if the family nucleus is made up of all persons aged 67 or over or of persons aged 67 or over and other family members all in conditions of serious or non-severe disability self-sufficiency. The economic benefit is paid every month for a continuous period not exceeding 18 months and can be renewed, after a 1-month suspension, for further periods of 12 months.

Job offers: The member of the family nucleus who is the beneficiary of the Inclusion allowance, who can be activated at work, and has been taken into charge by the competent employment services, is required to accept a job offer which has specific characteristics, including an open-ended employment relationship and that the salary is not lower than the minimum wages established by collective agreements. –

Training: from 1 September 2023, the Support for training and work was established, which consists of a monthly allowance of 350 euros recognized in favor of individuals aged between 18 and 59 who participate in active employment policy projects, including the universal civil service, or projects useful to the community, who are in certain economic conditions and who do not qualify for access to the Inclusion Allowance, or who are part of households that access this Allowance, but are not considered in the relative equivalence scale and are not obliged to carry out the activities identified in the social and work inclusion project. This indemnity is paid for the entire duration of the projects in which the aforementioned subjects participate and in any case for a maximum period of 12 months.

Hiring incentives: private employers who take on beneficiaries of the inclusion allowance, as well as support for training and work, are granted an exemption from the payment of social security contributions at their expense to the extent of 100 or 50 per cent for each worker depending on whether the hiring is, respectively, on an open-ended contract or with an apprenticeship, or on a temporary basis. A percentage of this incentive is also recognized to employment agencies, patronages, institutions, including the third sector, associations and social enterprises that carry out activities aimed at protecting disability or job placement of disadvantaged people or disabled for each subject hired as a result of specific mediation activities. Furthermore, beneficiaries of the Inclusion Allowance and Support for training and work who start an independent work activity or sole proprietorship or a cooperative company within the first twelve months of using the benefit are recognized in a single solution an additional benefit equal to six months of the Inclusion Allowance, within the limit of 500 euros per month.

Tax wedge: The provision increases the cut of the tax wedge from 1 July to 31 December up to 7% for the lowest incomes (up to 25 thousand euros) –

Smart working: extension of smart working for fragile workers and parents of under 14 children in the private sector until the end of the year and for the fragile in the PA until 30 September.

fixed-term contracts: in addition to the extension, the renewal without reason of fixed-term contracts is also envisaged, within 12 months. On fringe benefits, the increase to 3,000 euros remains for employees with children, the exemption also concerns the contribution as well as the tax part. Skip the 20% ceiling for apprenticeship contracts but only for mobile, unemployed or disadvantaged workers. Contribution concessions are provided for those who hire under 30 or workers up to 35 years of age in the South. – Social and work inclusion: the Siisl is set up at the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and is implemented by INPS. The Siisl aims to allow the activation of personalized paths for the beneficiaries of the Inclusion allowance, ensuring compliance with the essential levels of services; favor autonomous job search paths and the strengthening of skills on the part of the beneficiaries; analysis, monitoring, evaluation and control of the Inclusion Grant.

Economic support: a Fund is set up for the recognition of an economic support measure in favor of family members of students, including university or vocational education and training courses, who died as a result of accidents that occurred, after 1 January 2018, during the activities formative. The endowment of the Fund is equal to 10 million euros for 2023 and, starting from 2024, to 2 million euros per year. An increase for 2023, to the extent of 5 million euros, of the endowment of the support fund for the families of victims of serious accidents at work is also provided.

Publishing: finally, during the examination in the Senate an amendment was approved which increases the resources for publishing for the early retirement of professional journalists: 1.2 million euros in 2023; 4 million from 2024 to 2027; 2.8 million in 2028.