The first known case of coronavirus traced back in Spain at the end of February. Until 9 March, no measures were considered to mitigate its spread. On 8 March, on the celebration of International Women’s Day, more than 100,000 people were still manifesting on the streets of Spain. One day later, the news reached Spain: suspension of physical school classes: day-care centres, schools and universities remain closed.
Teleworking is recommended, but all citizens who cannot work in the home office are allowed to continue at their workplace. Larger corporations such as Hennis & Moritz and Inditex will close all their stores when the state of alert is declared on 13 March. Fast food chains continue to deliver, but with a special contactless delivery protocol. Only supermarkets, petrol stations, pharmacies and tobacco shops remain open, but with minimised opening hours and tightened security controls and hygiene regulations.
Citizens are now only allowed to go out on the streets to shop, see a doctor, walk their dog or go to work. The Spanish tax authorities are also reacting and introducing tax measures: Payment deadlines can be postponed, the regular tax deadlines and obligations remain. You can find more information about this in our article Fiscal measures in the times of the coronavirus in Spain.
Last Saturday, the government tightened the measures: from 30 March to 9 April, all firms that do not directly contribute to the supply or survival of the population will close. The employees will continue to receive their wages, and the lost hours will be re-integrated after the regulation is lifted. This measure does not apply to people who are currently in their home office or to employees in the hotel, catering or other professions who would have to apply for ERTE (Expediente de Regulación Temporal de Empleo). ERTE is currently a government-sponsored measure, the reduction of working hours with the resulting reduction in salary or the suspension of the contract for the duration of the current crisis situation.
Unemployed people, employees with ERTE, reduced working hours and self-employed people who do not reach the limit of three times the income indicator IPREM can apply for interest-free micro-credits as rent support measures from the government. This is to prevent evictions from rented housing.
The number of infected corona cases is increasing daily, with over 117.000 cases now known in Spain. The Spanish government is negotiating further tightening and measures to limit the corona pandemic as far as possible.
We at Aranda are at your disposal in our home offices for all fiscal and personnel-related matters even in these tense times and hope you stay healthy.
