The Spanish Government has approved in its first reading this Tuesday the draft bill on the Statute for Persons in Non-Laboral Practical Training, known as the 'Trainee Statute'. A measure promoted by the Ministry of Labor and Social Economy, it aims to define what practical training is and grant more rights to individuals undertaking such activities in companies and public administrations.
The Second Vice President and Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, reminded at the press conference following the Council of Ministers that the social dialogue table for the statute lasted fifteen months, although it only secured the support of UGT and CCOO trade unions. Therefore, the draft bill is backed solely by these unions.
If the Trainee Statute is finally approved by Congress, it will establish that internships must have a strictly educational purpose and, in no case, can substitute for workers. The draft bill will now be submitted to public consultation before returning to the Council of Ministers for its final approval as a bill.
«This is the labor reform for the new generations of our country,» Díaz defended, adding that Spain currently has 1.65 million people in non-laboral internships, 56% of whom are women. Díaz explained that the law puts an end to the abusive situations that have occurred in recent years and that have often turned practical training into 'hidden' labor relationships.
«We will see what our country does, but obviously, the Spanish Government is clear on this,» Díaz stated, doubting its approval. According to Díaz, the initiative fulfills the additional second provision of the labor reform approved almost four years ago. Díaz gave the example of a trainee journalist whose articles could not be published if the law comes into effect.
Rights for trainees, obligations for the company
Specifically, the law aims to ensure that trainees have recognized rights, such as compensation for travel, maintenance, and accommodation expenses, and explicitly prohibits paying for training, a practice that, according to the vice president, still occurs in some large companies. Support for the law in Congress is scarce, part of the university community (the rectors) firmly rejects it, and after the rupture of Junts with the Executive, there are no sufficient votes in sight.
The Vice President announced she will 'insist' again, attacked 'the three rights' and harshly criticized the party of Puigdemont, on whose votes the parliamentary majority depends.
The text also includes the obligation for each trainee to have a detailed training plan and a responsible tutor, who cannot supervise more than five students at a time. «Training must serve to learn, not to substitute for jobs,» Díaz emphasized, highlighting that the text marks «a cultural change» in the way practical training is understood in Spain.
These requirements are added to the obligation to register trainees with the Social Security, which came into force in 2024.
Companies will have to guarantee the full integration of trainees into the workplace, ensuring they have access to the same facilities, rest rooms, or canteens as the rest of the staff. Furthermore, the new law would reinforce the role of the Labor Inspectorate and toughen sanctions for companies that violate the rights of trainees, with fines that can reach up to €225,000. In addition, distance training is limited to a maximum of 50%, and internships in night shifts or on a rotational basis are prohibited.
