The Congress Committee on Work, Social Economy, Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration has approved a significant bill aimed at reforming the Workers’ Statute and the General Social Security Law. This reform seeks to halt the automatic dismissal of employees transitioning to permanent disability status. The reform, which now advances to the Senate, received support from all political groups except Vox, which rejected the proposal.

The legislation requires that any decision to dismiss a worker must be contingent upon their will and the feasibility of adapting their workplace. Employers may also need to consider reallocating the employee to a suitable and available position aligned with their skills. Dismissal can only be justified if adapting to these requirements would result in an excessive burden for the company.

An amendment introduced by Podemos specifies that if the cost of workplace adaptation is less than the severance payment or six months’ salary, the company cannot claim excessively burdensome circumstances. This emphasizes the government’s commitment to protect workers with disabilities.

In addition to provisions for permanent disabilities, the proposal also revises Article Forty-nine point one of the Workers’ Statute, disentangling regulations surrounding employment termination due to a worker’s death from those relating to permanent disabilities. The Spanish Committee of Representatives of Persons with Disabilities has welcomed the bill, highlighting its significance in reducing historical discrimination against workers with disabilities within the legal framework.