So you got fired in Spain?
This guide walks you through the legal and emotional steps to help you get over this bump in your career. Who knows, maybe it's just what you needed to find what you love.. I understand it is hard as a foreigner to go through this. Hence, I write this to support all the foreign taxpayers in España.
So you got fired?
It is a challenging time for you. Things happen, especially when you are in the south of Europe. But, if you knew how companies work you might have had a hunch. If it was out of the blue, that is the worst feeling. You loved your job, your team, or your company? Well, I understand how difficult this is.
Many dislike the "new" work culture. It blends the American tech-bro/hustler attitude with non-hierarchical hierarchies. In due course, it gaslights you into working out of a fear of letting yourself down . Byung chul Han talks about it in his book — Burnout Society. If you got fired from such a place, you have been saved, my friend.
It is hard. As foreigners working in Spain, much of our social life tends to revolve around work. We go for cañas after work. There are hikes once in a while and Christmas celebrations at the office. If you are a minority immigrant, work friends form a major part of your social circle. Hence, a firing can represent a significant setback, affecting both emotional well-being and financial stability.
Feeling better emotionally
None of this can help you as much as a new job ASAP, but let us be realistic here. Given the unemployment records of Spain, a new job may not be around the corner. It will take a bit of time to find a new one. It can be distressing. Here are some of my reflections :
Anger and Karma
It is quite natural to feel angry now. Anger comes from a violation of our internal system of trust/boundaries. You trusted your employer with your work and honesty. In return, you wanted a sense of stability and purpose. The employer breaks the bond and violates your boundaries. Hence you feel anger. You cannot let this anger consume you. Given one's position in society, this anger cannot lead to action (unless things are complicated). So, it turns to frustration. This frustration can be toxic to your mental health.
Now, how can you process it? You can talk to friends who are good listeners or get professional help. The Vedic idea of Karma can offer some soothing. Imagine that what happened was a price of your past karmas (sanchit karma) . Maybe you owed your employer something in your past life. Hence, it is an experience that rids you of those past karmas.
If you continue to dwell on it, you will be triggering another cycle of Karma. This cycle would need balancing too. Keep in mind that most karma is mental. The goal is to have a zero-inbox of Karma. I know it is hard to do. But send your employer a box of manolitos as a thank-you gift for relieving you of this past karma. This is what they say as "accepting karmas with grace and dignity".
Self-esteem
Many times, we tend to attach ourselves to the work we do. We define ourselves by it. It becomes a part of our ego, our self-image. A firing can result in a strong hit to this ego, resulting in the activation of various cognitive loops. This is completely natural. The idea here would be not to get too attached to what we work as or for.
Some workplaces can have toxic bosses which make you feel bad about you. It is their karma. Getting fired after such a treatment can take a heavy toll on your self-image. You might often feel worthless. This happened to a friend of mine. After months of recovery, she told me what she had learned. According to her, we need to talk to good people from our past. People who we think believed in what we did. These can be past bosses/teachers/friends/mentors. They can help us get back our self-confidence. These people help you see the positive behind your skills. Talk to them.
Legal situation
When you achieve greater emotional stability, it's time to get back on your feet. What happened to you was beyond your control, but what you do now, is in your "total" control. Look at your resident permit. If you are on a Highly Qualified Person (HQP) visa, ask a legal advisor what are your options. You might have time until the permit expires, but you should get the intricacies cleared out. An HQP visa is what I call a Slave Visa. It is attached to your Lord, i.e. your company.
As soon as you complete 5 years in Spain, please apply for a long-term residency. This makes you a freeman. I made a tool to help you calculate that.
If you are a Cuenta Ajena, you are in a much better position as you can just get a new job without getting a new card. Check with the extranjeria, if you don't have a lawyer. They are nice people.
Work friends and new friends
Now, comes the tough part, your social life. I am very sorry to say, that many people from your work will still want to hang out with you but not with the same frequency. Those serendipitous encounters at the water coolers will no longer happen. If you want to meet them, you must plan them to the T. Accept the fact that some of these people will not want to continue meeting.
If it was a mass firing, your paro buddies will meet you more. If there was another foreigner fired with you, you will be best buddies for the time being. Sociologists call this cohort effect". It is noticeable when people join together as well.
From a social perspective, Spain offers many opportunities to rebuild your network. You are in a country where people like to talk. It is easy to meet people.
But making friends is a long road, but it starts on the same Glorieta. So, go out to meetups, join theatre, connect with random people you met in the past, or do these weird things I do. It will be hard to begin. But start with the easy things like having a long talk with your Uber driver. Remember, you have time, you have earned it, and you can adapt to meet people.
Don't feel guilty about having time. Cherish it.
Job search
Now that you’ve got things under control, think about what to do next. You can't just hang around Madrid Rio or use your unemployment status to get into all the museums for free.
Make a list of things that you want in your next job. Set boundaries about them. Reach out to your network. You need to get them. If your layoff comes with trauma, it will be harder as you ego will colour every job you see. This in Indian philosophy is called Klishta or colouring of the mind. Be aware of that. You might have thoughts like "Oh! They don't mention X, this is not a good place to work. It is like my last place.". If you like what you read on the job description, fu*kin apply. Decide in the interview.
You may choose to not work for a company and start your own thing. Check with your employment office (more on it later) and they will help you do that. Spain has some subsidies for people who want to start. They are not as good as they should be considering the dire state of affairs in innovation in Europe. But it exists.
Now, to the grown-up things. I should have started with these but decided to put it to the end.
Feeling better financially
In most of Europe, you still get financial help to keep you afloat while you look for work. That is what you pay taxes for.
The system in Spain is robust but under a lot of pressure. Spain has one of the highest unemployment in OECD countries and one of the highest youth unemployment in the world. The unemployment, for some reason, has a noticeable spectrum from the south to the north. Cueta having the highest unemployment in Spain while Navarra having the least. So, be patient.
A mini rant here. Often, employers will only tell you their "scope" of work after you are fired. They leave you to navigate the rest of Spanish bureaucracy alone. This should not be the case, especially for foreign employees. They should tell you the whole picture so you have a clear idea of what lies ahead. This is my motivation to write this article.
Here is a list of things that you need to do, along with all the little trucos that there are to help you get your money.
Old workspace
Be sure to get three things from them :
Carta de despido: This is an official notification from them. You "have" to acknowledge that. If you don't agree with what is written there, don't worry. Just sign it and write — I don't agree/No conformo— and give it back.
Liquidation: This letter tells you how much the company will give you for the holidays you did not take. It also covers other dues. Usually, A SAP software generates this and it is accurate. Still check it.
Self-esteem: you know now!
Please note: If you do not have cl@ve, this is high time to get it.
SMAC - Servicio de Mediación Arbitraje y Conciliación
Many tech-startups will fire you with 24 hours notice. Similar to the YouTube videos we saw from the States. But firing with such a small notice is illegal in Spain. Employers know that and hence, they write a fake carta de despido/firing letter, to "help" . Here is where, Servicio de Mediación Arbitraje y Conciliación comes in picture. They help you make this injustice right. AFAIK, There are two main types of despidos : Procedente (just) and Improcedente (unjust). You get indemnizaciones/damages only when it is a despido improcedente. Sorry, I will go full Spanglish now.
Usually, the company will tell you to go to SMAC as they have to send a lawyer to represent them.
To calculate your indemnizaciones, you can use this link.
The process to get these indemnizaciones varies from Comunidad to Comunidad. In Madrid, you can do it online or offline. I recommend doing it offline as it is faster and easier. Go to the office in Calle Princesa before 12 pm on a working day. The staff there are kind and co-operative.
SMAC gives you a date in court. You have to communicate this with your company HR. You cannot choose this date. You can, however, send a legal representative.
Oficina de Empleo
Now you have to register yourself in the employment/unemployment office.
Go to this website (for Madrid) to get an appointment for alta demandate del trabajo.
Reach the office on time and talk to your employment officer. Don't forget your NIE and documents from your ex-company.
Their job is to help you look for work. They interview you and craft a CV in their format. At the time this article was written, they considered AI a hot skill. Python raised eyebrows too. Electrical engineering not so much.
Once done, they will give you a contract with dates. You "must" check in with the office (online too) on these dates to keep them updated on your efforts. They organise free courses to upskill you. Sometimes, there are seminars on aspects of work. You often get emails and SMS from them to inform you about these activities.
You can visit the portal here.
SEPE - Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal
Now the hard part. Once you are certified as unemployed, you must get what people call PARO, or officially, Prestaciones. This is a hard bit, but there is a trick.
When you go to the employment office, they will ask you to get a cita previa at SEPE online. But, like citas in Spain, romantic or bureaucratic, things get complicated. Their online portal opens only between 8:00 to 8:30am, Monday to Friday. It is like having a real office only online. Often times, when you get to the last step, and get the SMS to confirm your cita. The cita you applied for has vanished and you start again. If this happens, you should get a justificante as proof that you applied.
But I discovered another thing as I was quejando with a member of my "cohort". You don't have to do it with cita previa, if you have cl@ve you can do it online directly. Here is the link. You should complete it within 15 days from your date of firing.
Once you apply for Paro online, you can check the status of your application here.
Now, based on your cotizationes you will get some money for a few months. This will help you pay your landlord. The money starts from the government on 5th of each month. It reaches your account by 15th.
That is pretty much all you need to know. I hope it helps someone in a time of chaos.
Now go out, chill a bit, and enjoy the sun.
Cheers,
Rohit
I acknowledge the help I got from Patty, Cris, Dani, Joaquin, and Barbie to navigate the system.
Please note: Nothing here is legal advice. Things can change.