Deadline to apply for gender equality social security relief extended to 30 April

In its message no. 1269 of 3 April 2023, the INPS [Italy’s National Social Security Institute] extended the deadline for submitting the request for social security contribution exemption for private employers who are in possession, as of 31 December 2022, of the gender equality certification referred to in Article 46-bis of Legislative Decree of 11 April 2006, no. 198

In particular, the application deadline for the 1% social security contribution exemption (initially set for 15 February 2023) was postponed to 30 April 2023.

In the same message, INPS also announced that special indications will be provided, in agreement with the Ministry of Labour, to allow – also in light of the results of the first phase of the application for the exemption – access to the social security contribution relief to employers who have obtained the gender equality certification after 31 December 2022.

Lastly, it should be noted that the Ministry of Labour, in its press release of 28 November, announced the ministerial decree of 20 October 2022, which defines the criteria and procedures for granting the social security contribution exemption for private employers who achieve the gender equality certification introduced into our system by Law No. 162/2021.

This is a voluntary certification that the most virtuous companies can apply for, and obtaining it brings with it a series of benefits, including: relief from social security contributions of no more than 1% and up to a maximum of €50,000.00/year for each company; advantageous criteria in the case of tenders; possibility of access to a bonus score for the evaluation, by national and regional European funds authorities, of project proposals for the granting of State aid to co-finance the investments made.