50 people fired in a mass redundancy plan (ERE) implemented by Macael townhall (bankrupt, can’t pay salaries) have received notification from the Employment Office that they won’t get the dole.
The reason is apparently because there is a dispute about whether the ERE is legal or not.
The ERE was approved by the Junta de Andalucia, but the Inspectorate of Work (Madrid) says that proper procedures were not followed and has accused both Macael and the Junta of “cutting legal corners”.
Since it looks as if the ERE is going to be appealed by the government, the dole people are refusing to cut cheques until a Judge rules on the legitimacy of the firing. The dole office points out that if the ERE is overturned back salaries will be paid, and any dole that was supposed to have been paid would have had to be reclaimed, and therefore it is justified in withholding payments.