Italy: second “Sostegni” decree frees up additional €4.2 billion for jobs and combatting poverty

Italy’s second support decree – the “Decreto Sostegni Bis” – was adopted by the Council of Ministers, the Italian government’s executive organ, on 20 May. With a view to redoubling efforts to aid economic recovery in the country, the decree includes a new employment contract to facilitate the reintegration of the unemployed, an extension of the ban on redundancies until 28 August (rather than 30 June) for companies resorting to technical unemployment, bolstered measures to protect jobs as well as measures to foster generational renewal in companies. The decree will free up €40 billion overall.