Portugal: simplified short-time working scheme and other business support measures adopted to tackle the coronavirus crisis

The new simplified regime enters into force on 16 March 2020 in order to deal with the coronavirus epidemic. The package of extraordinary measures adopted on 13 March also includes social protection measures for workers that have to stay at home to look after children as well as to protect the self-employed (using the so-called green receipts system) who are experiencing a drop in business volumes.
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Simplified short-time working regime (lay off simplificado). The implementing decree for the new short-time working scheme that entered into force on Monday 16 March in Portugal is simplified. It presents a major change compared to what is provided for in the country’s labour code: the measure is treated as a reduction of working time to 0% and no longer as a termination of the employment contract. This concerns companies that cease their activity due to a break in the supply chain as well...

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