Work proposes to increase the quota of self-employed workers in 2019 and postpone the reform to 2020 | Economy

Against the clock, the Ministry of Labor intends to reach an interim agreement with autonomous associations before the end of the year to update the quotations of these workers in 2019. Seek out of the hellish scenario that has opened in the self-employed regime the rise of 22.3% of the minimum wage. The minimum contribution bases of a large part of this group rise, normally, in parallel to the minimum wage, and this year this update could put the group in trouble.

In any case, the increase of 2019 would be a provisional patch until a reform comes into effect focused on the autonomous fees are paid based on what they bill. The initial intention of Work is to have four sections. The first, for those who earn less than the minimum wage. The other three would have quotas according to an estimate of income, which can then be adjusted at the end of the year based on the real income received.

To reach a common point, he has met with the four organizations in the sector (ATA, UPTA, UATAE and CEAT) and offered them three scenarios. In the three, he proposes that two concepts of the final quota that are now voluntary – the professional contingencies (a kind of public insurance for losses caused by the activity) and the cessation of activity (insurance similar to unemployment) – become obligatory. This means that you pay more, but also that it increases your protection. "Sufficient benefits are obtained by quoting more," said Secretary of State for Social Security, Octavio Granado.

Now 85% of the self-employed pay their fees according to the minimum contribution bases: 932 euros in 2018. About this amount, the self-employed each month pays a percentage that goes from 29.9% to 30.8%.

The three scenarios that Work proposes suppose to increase the number on which it quotes. In the first, the base would rise by 1.25%, to 945 euros per month (105 euros below the 1,050 of the general scheme, that of wage earners). And the contribution rates paid on it would go up from 30.8% to 33.7%. All must quote for common contingencies, professionals and cessation of activity.

In the second, the increase in the minimum base would be higher, from 6.25% to 990 euros per month. However, the rise in rates would be lower, up to 31.8%.

In the last, the base of the quotation of the self-employed would be equal to that of the employees (1,050 euros), a 12.5 higher. But in return, the rates remain at 31.2%.

With these proposals, according to the calculations of Eduardo Abad, president of UPTA, the rise ranges from 13 euros per month in the first scenario, 40 in the second and 90 in the third. However, these numbers are made on the basis that the self-employed person is now paying for all the concepts. And this, in most cases, is not like that. To him, the Work proposal sounds good to him and he values ​​it "positively" because it increases the protection of self-employed workers, he says. Abad sees options to close a quick agreement with a mixed proposal between the first and the second scenario.

Much more skeptical in Lorenzo Amor, president of ATA, the largest organization. He does not see with good eyes that the contributions for professional contingencies and cessation of activity become obligatory. He talks about "trilerism" for this reason. And it demands that the increase of contributions be in line with the average of increase of the last decades, that is to say, 1.25%. In this case, their numbers point to an increase of 3.3 euros per month (40 per year). If it were 12.5%, the increase would be 35 euros per month.

Ministry sources point out that in any of these scenarios the average quotation of the self-employed will rise. How much? At this point, they do not provide the data and they hide behind the fact that it will depend on the casuistry, "it may even be that someone pays less". The same sources are hopeful in reaching an agreement with the autonomous associations.