LEGISLATIVE UPDATE | Decree-Law no. 99/2021
Decree-Law no. 99 was adopted on 30 June 2021 as Italy starts a phased transition from the emergency restrictions on economic dismissals and collective redundancies.
The framework differentiates among employers and sectors and links parts of the restriction to access to wage-support schemes. Further emergency measures continue to adjust the position, so the law applicable on the exact dismissal date remains decisive.
International employers might want to align an Italian redundancy with a global programme. A group launch date could fall within an Italian protected period, and early communications might compromise the required local consultation or suggest that the outcome had been predetermined.
Before announcing a restructuring, employers need to identify the applicable sector and support scheme, reconstruct the ban timeline and assess collective procedures, redeployment and union obligations. A calendar error could invalidate an otherwise genuine business decision.