Companies refuse to include meal vouchers and transportation bonuses in the price list

The Government's decree establishing that companies and workers must pay Social Security contributions for items that were previously exempt, such as meal allowances or transport bonuses, among others, has put the CEOE and Cepyme on the warpath, as well as the employers' association of restaurants that accept vouchers.

 

The CEOE considers that an initiative that affects the social contributions of employers and workers should have been preceded by the mandatory consultation, as is usual in this “mbito, “ and not in a hasty manner as has happened, especially when its cost may represent, at least, a point of Social Security contribution ”.

For its part, the Asociación Española de Emisores de Vales de Comida y Otros Servicios (Aeevcos), estimates that the measure could mean a drop in turnover of close to 500 million euros, as well as a loss of 275.400 daily customers and 48 million meals annually. It also believes that 10,000 jobs will be destroyed in the short term.

The Federación Estatal de Hosteler&oiacute;a y Restauración (FEHR) señala that the new quotation of the bonuses and complements of manutención, as well as others included in the agreements, can suppose between 10% and 12% of increase of the bases of contribution in many companies.

The number of workers receiving food vouchers in Spain amounts to some 600,000 people. Its use represents 17.5% of the total turnover of the catering sector. In 2010, 1,056 million euros were invoiced thanks to food vouchers, with 21,916 direct jobs.Employers recall that there is a continuous increase in social contributions, such as the 5% increase decreed for the second consecutive year for the maximum bases, which are those that apply to the highest wages. Only this última rise in the maximum bases represents an impact of 750 million euros each year, according ún CEOE.

Various employer sources have shown their concern for a “precipitated measure that hurts everyone, employers and workers” and that “wouldá a loss of competitiveness of the global economy í a global economy and companies just when it seems more á evident that the recovery begins ”.

The Board of Directors of the CEOE has urged all its sectorial organizations to make the calculations of how the contribution of the concepts previously exempted and considered as remuneration in kind will affect their associates.

The CEOE's Board of Directors has urged all its sectorial organizations to make the calculations of how the contribution of the concepts previously exempted and considered as remuneration in kind will affect their associates.