# Claiming Paro (after working over one year)



## dmh2602 (Nov 19, 2012)

I have been working for about 15 months, and I have a contract (so I pay social security etc). BUT my contract is one of those minimum hour things, which I think allows my employers to pay minimal tax and in theory fire me easily.

Most months, I work about 80-100 hours and earn between 700-1000 Euros, and I have all the payslips to show that information. But obviously my contract is pretty minimal.

So I was hoping that someone might be able to enlighten me as to my situation. I don't know that much about Paro, but I want to be informed as much as possible (because my company is giving me and collegues a bit of a hard-time and I don't know how long I will have this job).

So after how long can I claim the FULL paro, and how long for the Subsidio? And how is the Paro calculated ... on contract or on hours worked and money earned?

Any help and links would be gratefully received,

Thanks!!!!


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## dmh2602 (Nov 19, 2012)

To add, my contract has NO ending date ..... I think that's bad news! But how bad?


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

In the event that your company does not want you anymore, they need to give you the 'Certificado de Empresa'. 

Download the form 'Prestación Contributiva' and fill it in. 

Then you will need to make an appointment (cita previa) by phone or internet with the Unemployment Office in your area. 

They only need your NIE and your Certificado de Empresa, which says, how much you have earned, and whether you paid SS. 

You will need to have worked for at least 360 days in the six years previous to your application, for every year worked, you will get 4 months 'paro'. After that ends, you might get the 'Subsidio por desempleo', but as they keep changing things so very often, I am not sure how long you will get that one for. In the past, if you claimed 6 or more months of the Prestación Contributiva (Contributions Based) then you would get 1 year of the other one at 426 euros monthly. If you claim less than 6 months, then you get 6 months of the other, but not sure of this now. 

If you have worked previously in the UK and paid SS there, you might be able to claim benefits here in Spain, presenting the U1 document from the UK, because the maximum you can claim in Spain is 2 years, providing you have worked 6 years non-stop previous to your claim. 

The paro is calculated according to the final salary you have on your payslip and they pay you 70% of that for the first 6 months and then I believe it is 60% for the remaining months (if any). 

Have a look at this link, click on the 'impreso' and there you will have exactly how much they will give you (in days) according to the amount of time you have worked. 

Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal - ¿Has trabajado un año o más?

Sadly, it is in Spanish but I hope you can understand most of it. IF not, let me know. 

Cheers!


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

However, if they pay you the minimum, you might prefer not to claim benefits at all. You can leave your job, but then you will have to find another one and lose that one too (get fired or finished contract) then you can claim, i.e. what you have worked already will still be there, but if you find another job and they pay you much more than the previous one, they will only take into account the amount of that last job, so sometimes it is better to wait and find another job that pays you more.

My situation: I was 'owed' 2 full years of contributions based paro, for my years worked in the UK, but I couldn't claim them in Spain because I needed to find a job here first, and pay SS. Even if the job was for 1 day only. As long as it is a legal contract, of course. 

Soon after I arrived, I found a job, just a weekend, legal contract with SS. I didn't claim the 'paro' for 2 years because they would have taken into account the amount they paid me for that weekend, which wasn't much. So I thought I'll wait, then soon after I found another job as an 'Accounts Manager' and they pay was pretty good, it was only a contract for 2 weeks, but hey! I was happy enough. 

Now although I am getting the 'paro' I am bored ****less and looking for work but nothing much is happening! hint hint!


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## dmh2602 (Nov 19, 2012)

Thanks so much for the reply. Like I said, my contract is only for 6 hours a week, (minimum), but I usually work 22 hours a week. It's all legal and I pay tax and ss on everything, BUT my contract itself is quite minimal (not that I understand the system here that much)

So you think for sure I can get the subsiduary (maybe 400/month) but maybe not the paro? Also, if you could enlighten me more of the situation re. end of jobs. I can not under any circumstances quit ... even, for example, if I state that my contract was a joke and so in some months I earned very little.

My other choice is asking them to end my contract, or getting fired ... is that correct? Is there n other way? If I show proof that some months I can earn only 200 Euros, isnt that evidence of unsuitable conditions?


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## Lolito (Aug 25, 2012)

I am not really familiar with that sort of situation, but all I know is that you should not give up your job, otherwise they won't pay you anything. This is not the UK, there are lots of spanish people that have no means and they don't get anything at all, no matter how bad the situation is. 

If you really want to leave, then you can leave but you have to make sure you find another job to go to and when that other job ends, you can go and claim. 

They will give you paro first and then subsidy, but only if they chuck you out of the company. 

They will pay you according to the contractual hours you work, so they won't give you much.


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## ttttttttt777 (Nov 9, 2015)

*Question about paro*

Hi,

Can anyone help me with this question please! I have worked here in Spain for 6 years. I left a job a few months ago where my salary was 25,000 annual. I quit and I've been doing a job since for the last few months for a few hours a week - just 7. My question is, if I claim paro, will I receive a percentage of my last salary (ie the 7 hour job) or will it be an average of my entire time worked in Spain? I have reached an agreement with my employer to let me go so I will be able to claim the paro. Thing is though, there is no point if I am going to get a paltry 200 quid or so a month! Please help! Thanks


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

ttttttttt777 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Can anyone help me with this question please! I have worked here in Spain for 6 years. I left a job a few months ago where my salary was 25,000 annual. I quit and I've been doing a job since for the last few months for a few hours a week - just 7. My question is, if I claim paro, will I receive a percentage of my last salary (ie the 7 hour job) or will it be an average of my entire time worked in Spain? I have reached an agreement with my employer to let me go so I will be able to claim the paro. Thing is though, there is no point if I am going to get a paltry 200 quid or so a month! Please help! Thanks


As you quit I think you'll find this changes things. The best thing is to go to your local SEPE offfice where they can give you all the pertinent info. Find your local office here
http://www.sepe.es/direccionesytele...elefonosProvincias.do?provincia=08&recarga=no


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## Trubrit (Nov 24, 2010)

All I can tell you is what happened to me. I have worked in Spain for 5 years but from last April till June I only had a small contract earning me 400e a month. When my contract finished for the summer I signed on the paro and was awarded the princely sum 0f just 60e a month. When I asked the reason I was told that it is always based on your last 3 months earnings. I will not sign on again.


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