April 23, 2025
Working hours, leave, time off
Night on-call duty with presence on-site counts as working hours
Supreme Court, Labor Section
The case concerns a worker employed by a social cooperative, assigned to night on-call shifts with mandatory overnight stay at the organization’s premises. The worker filed a lawsuit seeking recognition of unpaid overtime and night work, claiming that time spent on-site, even when not actively engaged in tasks, should be considered actual working time.
The trial court accepted the worker’s claim, but the Court of Appeal disagreed, emphasizing the monthly on-call allowance already paid to the worker. The appellate court found that the worker’s activities did not justify compensation as night overtime.
However, the Supreme Court sided with the worker, stating that the mere obligation to remain at the workplace significantly restricts personal freedom, thereby excluding the time from being considered rest. Referring to EU Court of Justice case law, the Supreme Court clarified that even “passive” on-call activity qualifies as working time and must be compensated adequately. It also stated that the on-call allowance alone is not sufficient protection, especially when the obligation is continuous and burdensome.
June 12, 2025
Labor relations
Wage increase for Metalworking Industry National Collective Agreement
CCNL Metalmeccanici C011
As stipulated by the CCNL Metalmeccanici Industria C011, the new minimum wages are reviewed and confirmed every June based on inflation recorded in the previous year. The updated minimum wages, effective from June 1, 2025, are detailed in the union flyer linked below.
These increases result from a pre-established formula outlined in the collective agreement. However, this year, trade unions have already declared the automatic increase insufficient and expressed their intent to negotiate for a higher raise.
For now, the new minimum wages remain as calculated under the current rules.
New minimum wages >
May 12, 2025
Incentives
New “Youth Bonus”: social security exemption up to €500 (€650 in Southern Italy) for permanent hires
INPS
To promote stable employment among young people, the new measure provides full social security contribution exemption for private employers who hire or convert to permanent contracts workers under 35 who have never held a permanent job.
The benefit applies to hires or conversions between September 1, 2024, and December 31, 2025, for workers classified as laborers, employees, and middle managers (excluding executives, domestic work, and apprenticeships).
The incentive offers a 100% exemption from social security contributions (excluding INAIL premiums), up to €500 per month per employee, for a maximum of 24 months. In Southern regions (Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Basilicata, Sicily, Puglia, Calabria, Sardinia), the cap rises to €650 starting January 31, 2025.
To be eligible, employers must comply with contribution, labor, and safety regulations, and respect collective agreements. The exemption must be requested before hiring/conversion and is subject to available funds and INPS monitoring. This measure aims to foster stable employment and reduce regional disparities.
June 5, 2025
Resignation
Resignation inferred from conduct: collective agreement prevails over 15-day statutory rule
Trento Court
A female employee of a cooperative was absent without justification starting January 7, 2025. A few days after the new regulation on implied resignations came into effect, the company reported her as resigned to the Labor Inspectorate, believing the statutory absence threshold had been exceeded.
However, the Trento Court annulled the process and ordered her reinstatement for three key reasons:
Absences that began before January 12, 2025, are governed by disciplinary rules alone and not the new regulation.
The relevant absence period is the one set by the applicable collective agreement. The statutory 15-day rule only applies in the absence of a contractual provision. In this case, the retail contract considers over three days of unjustified absence per year as grounds for dismissal—hence, four days is the threshold, not fifteen.
Without a clear expression of will by the employee, the so-called “resignation” procedure is actually an oral dismissal, and thus void, requiring reinstatement and compensation.
March 27, 2025
Social security benefits
NASpI entitlement begins from the date of court-ordered liquidation, even if the claim is submitted later
Milan Court
A female worker resigned with just cause after the court-appointed liquidator neither assumed the employment relationship nor notified termination. INPS denied her NASpI unemployment benefit, arguing it should start from the resignation date, not from when the insolvency procedure began, and claimed the application was filed too late.
The Milan Court ruled that in cases of judicial liquidation, the employment relationship—and thus the worker’s involuntary unemployment—ends when the procedure starts, even if the resignation comes later for just cause.
NASpI entitlement begins on the eighth day after the procedure’s start date, regardless of when the application is filed. The court emphasized that during the suspension period set by insolvency law, the worker is unemployed and deserves full protection. This ruling challenges INPS’s restrictive stance that could otherwise penalize workers affected by business crises.
June 17, 2025
Business travel and relocation
Traceable payments required only for domestic business trips
Decree-Law
The new Decree-Law No. 84 of June 17, 2025, modifies the tax treatment of travel expenses, limiting the traceability requirement to business trips within Italy.
From now on, for expenses related to meals, accommodation, travel, and non-scheduled public transport in Italy, the company can deduct the costs, and the employee can receive tax-exempt reimbursement only if payments are made via traceable methods: bank transfer, postal order, or other legally accepted payment systems.
Nothing changes for international business trips: cash payments remain eligible for tax benefits.
This distinction aims to simplify fiscal management and enhance control over domestic expenses. The change applies immediately to the current tax year.
April 17, 2025
Dismissal for just cause
Dismissal is legitimate if prolonged absence due to illness is not properly communicated
Naples Court
The case involves a worker dismissed for unjustified absence. He challenged the dismissal, claiming he was ill. The employer, however, argued the dismissal was valid due to the worker’s failure to properly communicate or justify the absence as required by the collective agreement.
The Naples Court upheld the employer’s decision, ruling that the 15-day absence was unjustified and seriously undermined the employer’s ability to rely on the regular performance of duties, especially in a continuous production environment.
The judge stressed that what matters is not whether the illness actually existed, but whether the absence was timely and correctly reported to the employer.
This decision reinforces the importance of following contractual rules on sick leave, as a sign of diligence and good faith in the employment relationship.
