The Spanish government has launched a call for €9.6 million in subsidies for industrial SMEs to test the four-day working week. Companies that apply will be eligible for public funding of up to 90% of their reduced working time plan, with a maximum of €200,000 per company. With these figures, if all grants were awarded at the maximum amount, the number of companies chosen for the pilot project would be 48.
Companies wishing to take part in the programme must undertake to reduce the working hours of their employees by at least 10% for a minimum of two years, and these reductions may only affect employees on permanent full-time contracts. Under no circumstances may the reductions in working hours be detrimental to wages and they must be applied proportionally according to the gender composition of the workforce, according to the Ministry of Industry.
In the case of SMEs with fewer than 20 employees, the reductions in working hours must affect at least 30% of the employees, while SMEs with more than 21 employees must apply the measure to at least 25% of their workers. Wage costs incurred by the company in reducing working hours will only be eligible for subsidies during the first year. Interested SMEs have until 13 May to submit their applications.
