The Italian Ministry of Labour has published a ministerial circular (n.25, on the 12th October 2015) containing the operative instructions valid from 1st January 2016 in order to demand a reduction on contributions as provided in the ministerial order 17981/2015 inherent the signature of defensive solidarity contracts.

Specifically, this easement is addressed to the all the companies that apply (or have applied) company-collective agreements establishing a cut of the working time, exceeding the 20%, in order to avoid workers redundancies. Such esament is equal to 35% of the company contribution and it is related to the solidarity contracts signed after 21st March 2014.

According to the the ministerial circular, the applications have to be sent via specific format, as provided in the circular above, within 30 days after the date of solidarity contract agreement. The applications will have to be digitally signed and sent via email to: Social safety department – Ministry of Labour, National Sociale Welfare Insitution (INPS), and Territoral Labour Departement (DTL).

In this application a 16€ stamp and a report have to be included. The report must show the tools for a productivity improvement and an eventual investment plan adopted in the company.

On the contrary, if certain requirments are missing, such as the digital firm or the accompanying documentation, there will be the regularisation of the sent one.

The istances that will be submitted belately or the istances containing a working-time reduction not complying with legal requirements, or on a measure lower than 20%, will be rejected.

The acceptance or rejection will be communicated to the company within 120 days after receiving the request, then the ministerial decision will be comunicated to the National Social Welfare Institution.

This contribution allowance will have a maximum duration of 12 months. The calculation of the contributive reduction will be based on: workers incomes during the previous year, a reassessment rate and the overall amount of working time reduction.