Institutional portal - Municipality of Milan

Tajani: “Concrete support that pays attention to the stabilization of employment relationships, rewarding activities that choose to invest in human capital”

Milan, July 25 2020 – The Municipality of Milan is ready to support employment, traders and neighborhood businesses. The guidelines for the assignment of contributions for the creation and stabilization of jobs in favor of neighborhood and local micro-enterprises belonging to the economic sectors most affected by the pandemic were approved by the Council.
The contributions amount to 5,5 million euros and come from the Mutual Aid Fund established last April 9th ​​by Mayor Sala; the destination of these extraordinary funds was indicated by the city council in a specific agenda.

“With these funds – explains the councilor for Labor Policies, Productive Activities and Commerce Cristina Tajani – we want to promote targeted interventions to support work and employment, trying to avoid the serious effects that would derive from the closure of many small neighborhood. Realities that, in addition to constituting an essential social presence that helps to animate the city streets, have a strategic role for the city and contribute in an essential way to the life of the territories and neighborhoods. The intervention approved today, thanks also to the work of the City Council, pays particular attention to the stabilization of employment relationships, rewarding those activities that choose to invest in human capital".

Micro-enterprises in the economic sectors most affected during the lockdown will be able to access the contributions: retail commercial activities in fixed locations (excluding the sale of food and basic necessities), personal services (hairdressers, barbers, beauty centers etc. ), catering activities, accommodation facilities and travel agencies that have up to 5 employees employed with full-time employment contracts and that have undergone at least 56 days of mandatory closure.
Specifically, the funds will cover the expenses incurred by the company to hire new staff with permanent or fixed-term employment contracts lasting at least 12 months or with apprenticeship contracts or the stabilization of staff already employed under contract expiring.
Two support formulas are foreseen. The first, a contribution of up to a maximum of 20 thousand euros to cover the expenses incurred for the creation of permanent employment relationships. The second, economic coverage for fixed-term contracts, lasting at least 12 months, or apprenticeships up to a maximum of 15 thousand euros.  
In both cases, the funds will be allocated to the extent of 80% of the presumed expenditure and will be disbursed to the extent of 80% of the expenditure actually incurred and reported. Contracts stipulated after 1 June 2020 are considered eligible.
All the information and documentation necessary for submitting the application will be available in September on the Municipality of Milan portal.

The Mutual Aid Fund was established during the 'lockdown' period and collected contributions from private individuals (later expanded with municipal funds) with the aim of bringing immediate help to those who have suffered the most from the effects of the Covid emergency. Thanks to the discussion with the City Council which indicated the sectors to which the funds should be directed, contributions have already been allocated to support vulnerable and difficult categories, through shopping vouchers and rent contributions; also support for small cultural businesses, the private educational sector for children, the Milanese network of sports associations and concessionaires.