Spain adopts 4-day paid climate leave after deadly floods

• Spain has approved a law granting employees up to four days of paid climate leave.
• It aims to ensure that workers are not penalized for staying home during climate disasters.
• The law follows criticism of businesses during devastating floods in Valencia last month.

Spain enacts new law granting employees up to four days of paid climate leave following last month’s law. devastating floods, which killed more than 200 people.

The legislation comes after several Spanish companies were criticized for having their employees work amid the crisis. torrential rains and subsequent flooding in Valencia and its surroundings, causing considerable damage.

This protection aims to ensure that workers are not penalized for staying home during extreme weather conditions and that they will continue to be paid.

In a video shared with local media, Yolanda Díaz, Spain’s Minister of Labor and Social Economy, called the decision historic.

“For the first time, Spain will grant paid climate leave to workers,” she said.

Spain’s Council of Ministers approved the legislation on Thursday and it is expected to come into force on Friday.

In an interview with the Spanish channel RTVEDíaz said paid leave would be relevant whenever an authority issues a climate-related alert advising people to stay home for safety reasons.

She told RTVE that her aim was to ensure that “no worker can run the risk” of being confronted with a climate emergency just to get to their workplace.

There were reports of restaurant workers at a Valencia shopping center working during early business hours. the floods last month and hundreds of workers stuck in business parks, according to the Spanish newspaper Público.

Speaking on Thursday, Esther Lynch, general secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said: “This is a climate disaster that has turned into a labor disaster due to the negligence of employers and the Valencian government.”

Lynch added: “Bosses who put workers’ lives at risk by ignoring health and safety rules should face the full force of the law. »

Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said Thursday that paid leave applies when employees cannot safely travel to their workplace or work remotely, Euronews reported.

He added that workers can opt for a reduced work schedule if more days off are needed.

The legislation also requires companies to implement specific risk prevention measures in the event of a climate emergency and to inform their employees thereof.

Last month’s floods damaged infrastructure, homes and businesses. The Bank of Spain has a drop of 0.2% in Spanish GDP is estimated in the fourth quarter after the floods.