- EXTRA CESSATION OF ACTIVITY BENEFITS FOR SELF-EMPLOYED WORKERS. From the 1st of October, 2020, extra cessation of activity benefits are available for self-employed workers who are forced to stop all their activities as a result of a decision made by the competent authorities to try and stop the spread of the COVID-19.
- Requirements:
- Be affiliated and registered in the RETA (Special Scheme for Self–Employed Workers) or where appropriate, in the Special Social Security Scheme for Sea Workers (self-employed), at least 30 days before the date that the decision is made to stop activities.
- Be up to date with the payment of
the contributions to the Social Security, however, if on the date that the
activity stops this requirement is not fulfilled the self-employed worker is
given a period of 30 days to pay the pending Social Security contributions and
therefore rectify their situation so that they can have access to the benefits.
- Amount:
- In general the amount of the benefits will be 50% of the minimum contribution base associated with the activity carried out, there are certain specifications that favour this, such as being a large family, etc. and there are factors that make it difficult to access this benefit.
- Amount:
- Exemption from the obligation to pay
contributions:
- While the activity is suspended the self-employed worker must continue to be registered in the Social Security System, but they shall be exempt from having to pay the corresponding Social Security contributions.
- Time period:
- In the first 15 days after the agreement or the decision to stop the activity comes into force.
- If the request is made after this time period, the right to the benefit shall begin on the day that the request is made.
The regulation also provides for EXTRA CESSATION OF ACTIVITY BENEFITS FOR SELF-EMPLOYED WORKERS WHO DO NOT MEET THE QUALIFYING PERIOD REQUIREMENTS.
In this case the requirements and the procedures are as follows:
- Be
registered and up-to-date with the RETA or the RETMAR contribution payments as
a self-employed worker before the 1st of April, 2020.
- If this requirement cannot be fulfilled on the date that the request is made, there is also the invitation to pay option where all the contributions due have to be paid within a period of 30 days, which cannot be extended.
- Not have income from the self-employed activity, which exceeds the SMI (minimum Interprofessional Salary), for the last three months of the 2020 financial year.
- In the fourth quarter of 2020, have a drop in income from the self-employed activity of at least 50% compared to the income earned in the first quarter of 2020. To calculate the drop in income the registration period in the first quarter of 2020 has to be taken into account and compared with the proportional part of the income earned in the fourth quarter for the same amount of time.
- Amount:
- The amount of the benefit will be 50% of the corresponding minimum contribution for the activity carried out; there are factors that make it difficult to access this benefit.
- Exemption from the obligation to pay contributions.
- While the self-employed worker has access to the benefits they must be registered in the corresponding special scheme, although they are exempt from having to pay the social security contributions.
- Time period
- The request for the benefits must be made in the first 15 days of October so that the applicant is eligible for it from the 1st of October and it shall last for a maximum of 4 months.
- Otherwise, it will come into effect on the first day of the month after the request is made and it shall expire on the 31st of January, 2021.
- EXTENSION UNTIL THE 31st OF JANUARY, 2021 OF THE BENEFITS
ALREADY PROVIDED AND THE COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SELF-EMPLOYED WORK.
- The right to special cessation of activity benefits provided for in article 9 of the RDL 24/2020, dated the 26th of June, is extended until the 31st of January, 2021 for self-employed workers who were already getting it, as long as they still fulfil the requirements established to be eligible for it in the fourth quarter of 2020.
- Moreover, self-employed workers who have been getting the special cessation of activity benefits on the 31st of October but exhaust their rights to these benefits before the 31st of December, 2020, as provided for in the aforesaid regulation, can still get this benefit as long as they fulfil the requirements established for this.
- This special cessation of activity benefits for self-employed workers is available for self-employed workers, as long as the net income earned from the self-employed work and the income earned as an employee does not exceed 2.2 times the SMI, or the income from the work as an employee does not exceed 1.25 times the amount of the SMI.
