The draft law aims to amend Law no. 76/2002 (on unemployment and measures to stimulate employment), expanding the list of vulnerable categories for which employers may benefit from a monthly financial incentive of 2,250 lei. The measures aim to increase inclusion in the labor market and adjust eligibility criteria.
The 2,250 lei incentive is granted for a period of 12 months, on the condition that the employment relationship is maintained for an indefinite duration for at least 18 months.
If the draft is adopted, the list of persons whose employment is subsidized will be expanded with two important new categories:
–Mothers with a Large Number of Children: Employers will receive the incentive for mothers who have at least three dependent children, until the children reach the age of 18.
–Post-Detention Individuals: Persons who have served custodial sentences, educational measures, or other sanctions ordered by the courts will also become eligible for the subsidy.
The legislative proposal introduces significant adjustments to the eligibility criteria for certain categories of unemployed persons, modifying age thresholds and clarifying the maintenance of the right to the subsidy:
The initiative proposes raising the minimum age of unemployed persons for whom employers may request the 2,250 lei financial incentive. This threshold would change from 45 to 50 years, meaning that the subsidy will be granted exclusively for hiring persons who have reached the age of 50.
The support period granted for hiring persons approaching retirement is adjusted. While the incentive is currently granted if the person meets the retirement conditions within five years from the date of hiring, the draft proposes reducing this period to two years. Thus, financial support will be provided only for recruitments made much closer to the actual retirement date.
The initiative introduces an essential clarification regarding the maintenance of the subsidy. It establishes that the right to the subsidy will be maintained even if, during the 12-month granting period or during the 18-month employment maintenance period, the employed person loses the initial status based on which they were included. An example would be the loss of single-parent status for the supporter of a single-parent family.
An important provision concerns the restriction of access to support schemes for employers who do not meet their tax obligations:
–Ineligibility: Employers who have outstanding tax liabilities to the state budget will not be able to benefit from the financial incentive.
-Exception: The restriction does not apply to employers who have obtained payment installments, deferrals, or suspensions in accordance with legal provisions.
This limitation will apply uniformly, both to the 2,250 lei subsidy and to the incentive granted for hiring persons with disabilities.
The draft law was launched for public consultation by the Ministry of Labor and, in order to produce legal effects, must go through the legislative stages: adoption by Parliament, promulgation by presidential decree, and publication in the Official Gazette.