Smart working extended until December 31, but no longer applies to state employees

News from the Work decree: smart working for the frail and for parents with children under 14 is extended until December 31, but only for those who work in the private sector; on the other hand, there will be no extension for public administration employees if coverage is not found; the final word, as regards the Senate’s social affairs commission, will arrive on Tuesday with a vote that will resolve the last doubts about the text, after which the provision will return to the Chamber, where the oppositions announce battle on various points

The tax relief for three years in favor of those who hire caregivers is in the balance, while the last hurdle on the subject of “fringe benefits” seems to have been overcome, which are the payments in kind granted by employers (and which range from meal vouchers to bills): the threshold for exemption from taxes and contributions rises from the current 258 euros to 3 thousand, however only employees with dependent children will benefit. Skip the hypothesis, which emerged during the work in commission, to extend the benefit to workers without children.

“We have found the coverage that was missing, that is the 190 million euros that will serve to exempt fringe benefits also from social security contributions,” said the minister for relations with Parliament, Luca Ciriani. “It is a sign of coherence with respect to the announcements made and an aid to families”. For the future, the possibility of bringing the ceiling to a thousand euros for everyone, plus 660 euros for each child, is not set aside: the majority intend to propose it again in 2024.

Other changes are coming to the rules concerning the beneficiaries of the new instrument that replaces the Citizenship Income, the Inclusion Allowance: those who can be employed with children under the age of 14 will be required to accept permanent offers only within 80 kilometers or 2 hour journey by public transport; moreover, the audience of beneficiaries extends to those being treated in the social-health services.

New also for fixed-term contracts: within the first 12 months they can be not only extended but also freely renewed, without the need to cite the foreseen reasons. In addition, the family booklets, to pay for small housework or babysitting, can also be purchased in tobacconists.

On the whole of the Labor decree, the oppositions are ready for the parliamentary battle: the Democratic Party denounces the rejection of some changes aimed at helping women victims of violence, the Five Star Movement speaks of “slamming doors in the face of protections”, for Alleanza Verdi and Left «the majority worsens the text of the government».

Instead the rapporteur Paola Mancini (of Fratelli d’Italia) speaks of “a complex and organic provision, which finally goes to settle many aspects concerning the world of work that have remained unanswered until today”. The League comments that the measure “will create more jobs”.