Relief for 10,500 of the Costa Blanca workers laid off amid Covid-19 as government says payment should be made next week

MORE than 10,500 workers temporary laid off in Alicante Province, amid the coronavirus pandemic, should receive government payments by April 14.

The Directorate General for Employment of the Generalitat Valenciana has received 51,593 Temporary Employment Regulation Files, from firms in the Valencian Community.

Of these, the department has already resolved 25,701 files, of which 10,461 relate to companies in Alicante Province.

This means 48,529 affected workers should receive the benefit next week –  if the companies have registered with the State Public Employment Service so that SEPE can include them in the round of payments scheduled for April 10 (now April 13 or 14 due to Easter holiday).

The second phase of payment will take place on April 20.

In Alicante Province, the vast majority of ERTE applications are from companies in the service sector, followed by the manufacturing industry, agriculture and construction.

The latter two had maintained activity until the Royal Decree of March 29, which paralysed all non-essential activity, including construction and industry that did not provide support for health purposes.

At regional level, the department for employment has processed files affecting a total of 120,533 workers. By province, 46 per cent of the cases resolved were handled by the Regional Office in Valencia, 41 per cent in Alicante and 12 per cent in Castellón Regional Office.