Seasonal unemployment is high in Spain and Lithuania, affecting agriculture and services. Solutions involve flexible work and wage increases.
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Spain has one of the highest seasonal unemployment rates in Europe, with over 10% recorded in December of last year, primarily affecting the restaurant and agricultural sectors. To avoid permanent layoffs, the country uses an ERTE model, allowing temporary contract suspension or reduced working hours, though this is only available to regular employees, not self-employed workers. In Lithuania, there are no additional protections for seasonal workers, and labor market specialists note that the market’s cyclical nature, influenced by economic and geopolitical factors, dictates seasonality in services, construction, and agriculture, with late autumn and winter being the slowest periods. Seasonal labor fluctuations affect many sectors, with increased demand during peak times in areas like retail, hospitality, and logistics, and agricultural needs in spring. While some Lithuanian workers migrate to Scandinavia in summer, creating labor shortages in their home countries, the agricultural sector faces significant workforce reduction, with official statistics showing a decrease in both total and temporary workers. Agricultural employers argue that labor costs make keeping unemployed workers for long periods expensive and that seasonal workers are not suited for non-seasonal tasks. Job offers for seasonal work are highly competitive, with different sectors experiencing peak hiring times—construction early on, and hospitality/leisure later. Agricultural services often require short-term contracts of up to three months. In Greece, the government is considering increasing wages in the tourism and agriculture sectors to cover non-working months, while also planning to limit seasonal workers’ eligibility for unemployment benefits to prevent them from avoiding job searches. In Lithuania, there are no similar discussions, and HR specialists suggest that the solution largely rests with employers seeking temporary staff.
