The law establishing a social support and simplified lay-off scheme for areas hit by Storm Kristin was published in the Diário da República on Tuesday, 14 April, guaranteeing workers 100% of their gross salary up to 2,760 euros. The legislation clarifies that for the first 60 days, 80% of the remuneration is covered by Social Security and 20% by the employer, with the split shifting to 70%-30% thereafter. To comply with constitutional budget constraints, the increased expenditure will take effect with the 2027 State Budget. The bill was promulgated by President António José Seguro following its parliamentary approval. The measures follow the impact of storms Kristin, Leonardo, and Marta, which resulted in 18 deaths and widespread destruction across the Centre, Lisbon, Tagus Valley, and Alentejo regions.
Social support and simplified lay-off scheme for affected areas published in the Diário da República
Context & Explainers
Segurança Social is Portugal's public social security system, responsible for administering pensions, unemployment benefits, sickness pay, parental leave, family allowances, and other social support payments. It is funded through mandatory contributions from employers and employees.
Most services are managed online through Segurança Social Direta (SSD), where users can check contribution records, apply for benefits, submit declarations, and track payments using their NISS (Social Security Identification Number) and Citizen Card credentials.
Key interactions for residents include registering as a contributor (mandatory for all workers), claiming unemployment benefits, applying for parental leave, and accessing the minimum income scheme (Rendimento Social de Inserção). Self-employed workers (trabalhadores independentes) must also make quarterly income declarations through the platform.
