April is usually a very positive month because of the Easter campaign and because companies are starting to prepare the staff for summer. But this has been the worst April ever in terms of employment. The Social Security has lost 947,896 affiliates since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis and up to end-April, leaving the total number of contributors at 18.39 million. Meanwhile unemployment grew in these last two months by more than 585,000 people, exceeding 3.8 million unemployed. The Ministry of Labour has not included the almost 3.5 million Spaniards protected by a situation of total or partial suspension from work via temporary layoffs.
According to the Social Security Ministry, this performance reflects “a certain stabilization in employment” during April, as from 12 to 31 March 898,822 jobs were lost, while in April only 49,074 were destroyed at end month.
These end-of-month affiliation figures better reflect what happened than the monthly average -which is usually given- and which leaves the decrease in affiliation in April at 548,093 workers compared to March. The average decrease in March was 243,469 affiliates.
In terms of employed workers, and on average in April, all Social Security schemes showed a drop in affiliation. The general scheme stood out with 505,458 fewer employed workers, and only the special agricultural segment saw an increase in employment with 10,561 more affiliates.
By sector, employment in the general scheme only increased in health and social services activities, with 23,228 more members. The greatest falls were recorded in construction (89,864 fewer members), hotels and restaurants (76,902) and artistic and entertainment activities (20,702).
The self-employed scheme lost 41,250 members, while the maritime scheme lost 1,371 and the coal scheme recorded 1,226 fewer members.
Registered unemployment increased more amongst men and amongst young people under 25 years of age.
