The Minister of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saizdefended himself after the criticism received in recent hours after the Government will promote reform allowing workers on sick leave to voluntarily return to work.
Saiz wanted to explain that his flexible sick leave proposal does not seek “in any way” to save money for Social Security due to high spending on temporary disability (TI), but rather that Its intention is to “expand rights” and advance “social justice.”
In statements to Onda Cero reported by Europa Press, he stressed that his proposal that workers on sick leave could gradually return to work voluntarily in certain cases and always under medical supervision, is a debate in a “very initial” phase. “, which was put on the table after listening to many groups and companies, and to be discussed in the area of social dialogue.
“In my daily life at the ministry, in various meetings, meetings, with different groups, with citizens, with associations, with businessmen and, of course, also with groups and with workers, it is a recurring question. This means putting this debate on the table to analyze it and, moreover, putting it on the table in a place where we hope that all of society will be represented, which are the tables of social dialogue, and also, even, with experts who can join us,” he said.
The minister insisted that this was a “recurring problem” and defended that talking about temporary incapacity “is talking about something as important as mental health, psychosocial health and the physical health of workers.
“We will have to see on a case by case basis, on a case by case basis. But it is undoubtedly a debate, a recurring question and for this reason politics plays a fundamental role. This is why it seems to me that, with total sensitivity, total caution and total calm, this issue must be put on the table,” he defended.
In this sense, he clarified that for the government, “the health of workers is something that cannot be renounced”. “But talking about temporary disability also means talking about what we are as a society after facing a pandemic and what the new ways of working are. And always by personal decision,” he said.
Many opinions
One of the most critical voices regarding the proposal that the Government will promote has been the spokesperson for EH Bildu, Mertxe Aizpurua.
EH Bildu spokesperson stressed that the proposal for flexible sick leave is “a scandal” because it represents “a step backwards in the rights” of workers.
In an interview on RNE, the representative of EH Bildu said “absolutely no” to this measure. “I think that when you are on sick leave, you are sick, it is the doctor who gives you sick leave and you cannot work. It’s as simple as that,” he said.
On this same subject, the Second Vice President of the Government and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, also spoke.
Temporary incapacity has only one reason: to protect the health of workers. There are no more options or reasons. Neither flexibility nor partiality, you do not play with your health. https://t.co/u5A7o5MSRh
– Yolanda Diaz (@Yolanda_Diaz_) October 3, 2024
Díaz asked “not to play” with the health of workers. “There is only one reason behind temporary incapacity: to protect the health of workers. There are no more options or reasons. Neither flexibility nor partiality, we do not play with health,” declared the minister in a message on her social networks.
He was not the only one to react, since the Minister of Health, Mónica García, assured that the word “flexible” in relation to the reform of temporary incapacity (IT) “really bothers her a lot.”
For García, the question of “voluntariness is always open to interpretations that can be detrimental” and he insisted that sick leave constitutes “medical acts”. According to him, “health comes first in all the visions” they may have on this issue.
