Spain's furlough scheme to be extended "as long as necessary", minister says

Spain's ERTE furlough scheme will be extended "as long as is necessary," Labour Minister Yolanda Diaz said on Thursday in an interview with the IB3 radio station.

The scheme, which is currently due to end on Sept. 30, will continue to provide furloughed workers with 70% of their base salary for the first six months, before dropping to 50% for the following months, she said.

La Vanguardia newspaper earlier reported the minister had said the furlough programme would be extended until a coronavirus vaccine is found though a transcript of the interview showed she hadn't.