Increase in the daily cap amount of food stamps

Resolution No 1371/2007 of the Ministry of Employment and Social Security whereby the daily cap amount which may be received by workers by way of food vouchers was increased to $ 25. The Resolution was published in the Official Gazette on November 20, 2007,

Section 103 bis of the Employment Law governs non-remunerative social security benefits for the purpose of improving the quality of life of employees or their families, and subsection b) thereof includes within social security benefits food vouchers up to a maximum limit per working day.

Decree No 592/1995 fixed the maximum amount per working day which workers may receive by way of food vouchers at $ 15, and empowered the Ministry of Employment and Social Security to modify, if required, such maximum amount.

On the basis that such cap amount has not been modified since the passing of the aforementioned decree, the Resolution provided for the modification of the amount set forth by Decree No 592/1995, establishing as the cap amount which may be received by workers by way of food vouchers the amount of $ 25 per working day.

It is important to emphasize that on November 28, the National House of Representatives granted half a sanction to a Bill of law that aims to eliminate alimentary and lunch tickets as social benefits to convert them in a remunerative concept; therefore, the abovementioned tickets would be incorporated to the salary.

Such Bill of law establishes that these tickets will acquire a remunerative character in a staggered and progressive way, at a rate of 10% of their value every two months from the effective date of the law.