On 6 February, Spain's Council of Ministers approved the decree transposing the European directive on transparent and predictable working conditions. One of the most important aspects of the text is the ban on companies unilaterally reducing part-time hours. This clause potentially affects 2.8 million people, according to calculations by the Ministry of Labour. All fraudulent part-time contracts will be reclassified as open-ended contracts.
“This is the end of zero-hour contracts and the obligation for employees to be permanently available,” says Spanish labour minister Yolanda Diaz, emphasising the importance of these new rules, which she said would provide greater protection and stability, particularly in the retail sector, where employees are particularly affected by variable part-time contracts and work schedules that are changed at the last minute.
Any infringement will lead to the contract being converted to a permanent contr
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Article authors
Cécile Thibaud
Correspondent in Spain
As Madrid correspondent for mind RH since 2021, I cover news developments in Spain's world of work, focusing on legal developments and collective bargaining, particularly around work-life balance, equality and inclusion policies, which have been hot topics in the country in recent years.