Labor Amendments to the Decent Work Agenda enter into force May 1

The amendments to the Labor Code and other diplomas under the Decent Work Agenda were published this Monday in Diário da República and will come into force on May 1, according to a statement from the Ministry of Labor.

According to the Office of the Minister of Labour, Solidarity and Social Security Ana Méndez Godinho, the changes provided for in Law no. 1 and companies.”

In a statement, the ministry indicates that the changes are based on four main areas: “combating instability, valuing young people in the labor market, promoting a better balance of professional, personal and family life, and encouraging collective bargaining and worker participation.”

The law was approved in Parliament on February 10 after a marathon of votes in the specialty, unveiled by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa on March 22, who expressed doubts about the consequences of some decisions.

In a memo published at the time by the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa indicated that some of the decisions of the decree “might have on the labor market the effect opposite to that intended”, but justified the adoption by means of an “overwhelming majority” that approved the diploma and contained therein ” numerous positive aspects.

The head of state also considered that the approved decree “in some respects” departs from the agreement signed within the framework of the “Public Concert” between the Government, the confederations of employers and the UGT.

The green light was also justified by the “many positive aspects of the diploma, as well as the fact that it had the viability of an overwhelming majority of Parliament, voting in favor or abstaining, namely the largest opposition party”.

At the same time as the note was posted on the president’s website, Marcelo announced the passage of the law in statements to the RTP at the door of the Lisbon airport, from where he will travel to the Dominican Republic to pay an official visit and attend the Iberian Conference. Summit – American.

“I have just put in place a diploma that has also caused a lot of controversy called the Decent Work Agenda, namely because “in some points it deviates from the Social Concert agreement signed with the authorities and with the UGT, and” because some measures are more controversial than others.”

“I adopted it for two main reasons: because there are other measures that are important for the workers, and, secondly, because the Assembly, when it voted, voted with the PS in favor, but with an overwhelming majority of the right opposition abstained. , namely the PSD,” he said.

Marcelo clarified that the sum of votes for and abstentions in the approval of the Decent Work Agenda in Parliament resulted in a “cruel majority” and therefore the President of the Republic should not reject the decree.

The Labor Amendments to the Decent Work Agenda were approved on 10 February in the Assembly of the Republic, with only PS voting in favour, PSD, Chega, PAN and Livre abstaining and BE, PCP and IL voting against.

Among the changes envisaged in the Agenda is the extension of remote work to parents with children with disabilities, chronic diseases or oncological diseases, regardless of age, as well as the establishment in the contract of the value of additional costs in this mode, the remaining ones need to determine the tax exemption threshold for these expenses.

It also provides for up to three days of sick leave requests through the National Health Service Digital Service (SNS24) with a limit of twice a year, as well as an excess of mandatory paternity leave. current 20 business days for 28 consecutive or interpolated days.

The new legislation also specifies that collective redundancy and termination compensation will be increased from the current 12 days of base salary and seniority per year to 14 days per year from the date the law comes into force (non-retroactive) and compensation. to terminate fixed-term contracts from the current 18 days to 24 days.

Companies will no longer make ongoing rebates for the Work Compensation Fund (FCT).

With regard to digital platforms, the law provides for a presumption of employment between the worker and the platform, which will initially be made directly with companies such as Uber, Bolt or Glovo, and not with intermediaries, but leaves the final decision to be tied to the courts.