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When you have applied for and are receiving unemployment benefits ‘ paro’ or unemployment benefits, the most important thing to do is to renew your registration as ‘demandante de empleo’ in time. Usually every 90 days. If you fail to do so in time, there can be consequences.
If you remember on the day you are supposed to renew, but the offices have closed already, you can still renew online till 24.oo hrs (sometimes the system even allows signing the day after, so please try), if you have a digital certificate installed on your computer or have previously registered as ‘usuario’ at the employment agency.
On the Canary Islands, Balearic Islands and in Navarra you can also renew by phone.
If you are not in your own area on the day you are supposed to renew, you can attend another SEPE office.
If you are only 1 or 2 days late and you have tried to renew online but without success (if you have digital certificate or usuario registration), go to your SEPE office immediately, no need to make an appointment. It depends on the office and on the reason you can give for being late, how lenient they are with regards to allowing you to renew without sanctions.
If you are late by more days or have already received a letter announcing sanctions because of the failure to renew in time, you need to go to the office in person. Sanction will consist of suspending payment of paro as of the date you were supposed to renew. In the letter you will also be informed about the possibility to appeal the decision.
If your paro has been suspended, you can verify this online or by phone.
You can re-register as ‘demandante de empleo’ online, but we recommend visiting the SEPE office in person as well, to make sure it has gone through, and appeal any possible sanctions, assuming you had good reason for not renewing on the day you were supposed to.
If you were ill, bring ´baja´ paperwork from your GP.
If you were involved in a job selection process, or on a course, bring documentation from the relevant institute or business.
Other acceptable reasons, although less common, would be ‘jury duty’ or ‘fuerza major’.
You’d need to be able to justify all days you were late.
SANCTIONS
If it is your first time, your paro or subsidio will be suspended for one month.
If it is your second time, your paro or subsidio will be suspended for three months.
If it is your third time, your paro or subsidio will be suspended for 6 months.
If it is your fourth time, you will lose all remaining paro entitlement.
How these sanctions are implemented, varies by region. In some you don’t lose any paro entitlement, so the one month suspension, is added on to your total paro time. In others you will effectively lose a month from your entitlement. So you need to ask at your office.
If you are receiving a special subsidio, like Renta Activa de Inserción (RAI), being late renewing your registration means total loss of entitlement.
HOW DO I KNOW I’VE BEEN SANCTIONED?
You will receive a letter, or you will fail to receive your paro on the day you expect it.
You can check online
