Spain is enacting a new law granting employees up to four days of paid climate leave following last month's devastating floods, which killed more than 200 people. The legislation comes after several companies in Spain received criticism for making employees work amid the torrential rain and subsequent floods in Valencia and surrounding areas, which caused widespread devastation.
In a video shared with local media, Yolanda Díaz, Spain's Minister of Labour and Social Economy, described the move as historic. 'For the first time, Spain will have paid climate leave for working people,' she said.
In an interview with Spanish broadcaster RTVE, Díaz said the paid leave will be relevant whenever an authority issues a climate-related alert that advises people to stay at home for safety reasons. She told RTVE that it aims to ensure that 'no worker must run the risks' of facing off with a climate emergency just to get to their workplace.
Speaking on Thursday, Esther Lynch, the General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, said: 'This was a climate disaster that turned into a labor disaster because of the negligence of employers and the Valencian government.'
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