The Spanish government has reduced the size threshold for companies falling within the special redundancy levy system. All companies with 100+ employees (formerly 500+) must now pay financial contributions to the Spanish Treasury if they make collective redundancies involving employees aged 50 or over.
A Spanish legal amendment has been adopted reducing from two to one year the period that a collective agreement may remain in force after its expiry date. Furthermore any clause in a collective agreement which provides for a mandatory retirement age of 65 is now void.
Changes have also been made in relation to study leave. The annual allowance of 20 hours may in future be carried over for five years – meaning that an employee could take all 100 hours in year five should they wish.