We talk about good news for families who are going through a painful situation. The Spanish Government has confirmed its willingness to approve an economic benefit for parents who care for a seriously ill child and have to leave their job.
This is a new benefit for working parents and Social Security affiliates with children whose illness requires permanent care that forces them to leave their jobs or reduce their working hours by more than 50%.
In those cases, they would have a benefit equivalent to one hundred percent of the regulatory base and that would last until the end of the illness or the need for assistance, or until the age of the sick child.
This new feature is designed for a situation in which both parents are working and give coverage to one of them, not taking into account in this way those couples in which only one works.
I wonder at this point, because I have not been able to find the "official" information, if parents who are unemployed are entitled to some kind of help in these cases, something that of course would also seem necessary.
In any case, the Government seeks consensus for this new benefit that will be included in the General Budgets and that we hope that in this time of crisis will move forward, as it would have little impact for the whole system but would be of great help to the affected families . This assistance will be introduced in the General Budget Law of 2011 and will therefore enter into force on January 1.
It is encouraging to see some news of this type, after learning about the cuts that affect all sectors and the measures as sound as the elimination of the baby check.
This benefit is certainly a fair help for those parents who have to assume their responsibility to care for the little sick and can move forward in their families without adding another worrying situation to their home.
