Spain has approved four days of paid climate leave in the wake of deadly flooding late last month that killed nearly 230 people.

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

International

Spain approves 4 days paid climate leave in wake of deadly flooding

Nov 29, 2024

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Lauren Taylor Anchor

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Harry Fogle (Video Editor)

Deadly flooding in Spain last month has had such an impact that it’s now leading to changes in the Spanish workforce. Spain’s Council of Ministers passed a measure on Thursday, Nov. 28, that guarantees four days of paid climate leave for workers in the event of dangerous weather.

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The measure is designed to protect commuting workers during natural disasters and extreme weather conditions. The legislation must now be certified within a month by Spain’s lawmakers. Flooding in late October 2024 turned Spanish streets into rivers and killed nearly 230 people.

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Many employers were criticized for requiring employees to continue working despite warnings from the national weather agency.

Restaurant workers were reportedly working through the first few hours of the flooding in Valencia, and hundreds of workers became trapped in business parks. Companies contended that government officials left them with little information on conditions and issued alerts too late.

The new law will “regulate in accordance with the climate emergency” to minimize risks to employees during severe weather. The paid leave would take effect when civil protection agencies advise residents to stay home, and remote work is unavailable during unsafe weather.

The new rule also mandates that companies develop specific risk-prevention procedures for climate emergencies, and inform employees of these measures.

Officials said employers will face “the full force of the law” if they deny employees their rights. Though specifics on the legal ramification are yet to be known at the time of this report.

Spain’s climate leave reportedly drew inspiration from a similar rule in Canada linked to alerts about natural disasters and life-threatening weather.

Tags: Canada, Climate Change, Death, Economy, Extreme weather, flooding, Jobs, natural disaster, Remote work, restaurants, Spain, Workers Rights

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

DEADLY FLOODING IN SPAIN JUST WEEKS AGO HAS LEFT SUCH AN IMPACT ITS NOW LEADING TO CHANGES IN THE WORKFORCE.

SPAIN’S COUNCIL OF MINISTERS PASSING A MEASURE THIS WEEK GUARANTEEING FOUR DAYS OF PAID CLIMATE LEAVE FOR WORKERS IN THE EVENT OF DANGEROUS WEATHER.

THE MEASURE MOVED FORWARD THURSDAY AND IS DESIGNED TO PROTECT COMMUTING WORKERS DURING NATURAL DISASTERS AND EXTREME CONDITIONS.

THE LEGISLATION MUST BE CERTIFIED WITHIN A MONTH BY LAWMAKERS.

FLOODING LAST MONTH TURNED SPANISH STREETS INTO RIVERS KILLING NEARLY 230 PEOPLE.

MANY EMPLOYERS WERE CRITICIZED FOR REQUIRING EMPLOYEES TO CONTINUE WORKING DESPITE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER AGENCY.

RESTAURANT WORKERS WERE REPORTEDLY WORKING THROUGH THE FIRST FEW HOURS OF THE FLOODING IN VALENCIA AND HUNDREDS BECAME TRAPPED IN BUSINESS PARKS.

COMPANIES CONTENDED OFFICIALS LEFT THEM WITH LITTLE INFORMATION ON CONDITIONS AND ISSUED ALERTS TOO LATE.

THE NEW LAW WILL “REGULATE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY” TO MINIMIZE RISKS TO EMPLOYEES DURING SEVERE WEATHER.

THE PAID LEAVE WOULD TAKE EFFECT WHEN CIVIL PROTECTION AGENCIES ADVISE RESIDENTS TO STAY HOME AND REMOTE WORK IS UNAVAILABLE DURING UNSAFE WEATHER.

THE NEW RULE ALSO MANDATES COMPANIES DEVELOP SPECIFIC RISK-PREVENTION PROCEDURES FOR CLIMATE EMERGENCIES AND INFORM EMPLOYEES OF THE MEASURES.

OFFICIALS SAY EMPLOYERS WILL FACE “THE FULL FORCE OF THE LAW” IF THEY DENY EMPLOYEES THESE RIGHTS.

THOUGH SPECIFICS ON THE LEGAL RAMIFICATIONS ARE YET TO BE KNOWN AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT.

FOR MORE ON THIS STORY– DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP OR VISIT SAN DOT COM.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.

Spain approves 4 days paid climate leave in wake of deadly flooding

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