MERANO. They will work with the gardeners, or at the cemetery. But also to the tax office and the registry office. Twenty-three unemployed people are hired by the Municipality on a fixed-term basis, for a few months and up to a year (extendable).
«A way to help, in particular, those who, not far from retirement, have found themselves without work and in difficulty», explains the personnel councilor Nerio Zaccaria. «At the same time, for the Municipality they are an important resource», in a context in which the public position is much less coveted than in the past.
In its last meeting, the council gave the green light to the measure. The compensation is 8.20 euros gross per hour in addition to INAIL and INPS contributions. On average, they will work 30 hours a week. The pay is decidedly meager, «but that’s what the rules, which we obviously have to comply with, provide. I ask the Province for a reflection on the topic”, adds Zaccaria.
Pursuant to provincial law n. 11 of 11 March 1986, the Province itself and all entities subject to the protection or supervision of the provincial administration have the right to temporarily employ people who have been unemployed for at least six months in public utility projects. As part of these projects, during 2025 the Municipality of Merano will employ 23 people who have been registered on the unemployment lists for at least six months in various offices – from private construction to the tax service, from the civic museum to the municipal garden. «In four cases they are people with disabilities», observes Zaccaria.
«Even with the implementation of these projects, successfully proposed for several years now, the Municipality of Merano confirms its particular attention towards the most fragile segments of the population and at risk of social exclusion. Public benefit projects are not just an institutional obligation. They represent a chance for inclusion and growth for the beneficiaries, who acquire new skills, increasing their employability, but at the same time also an opportunity for the public body. Thanks to the subjects involved, in many cases it is possible to meet service needs that the staff, due to the amount of work, is unable to guarantee in a constant and exhaustive manner. Just think, for example, of the activity of scanning and archiving of deeds and documents or the maintenance work of public green areas or road signs”.
The process now involves the presentation of the projects by the Personnel Office to the Merano Employment Mediation Centre. The Provincial Work Division Director will decide on the applications. In conjunction with the approval of the projects, a possible contribution from the Province will also be established. In the event that the provincial administration does not grant any contribution, the Municipality of Merano should allocate the maximum expenditure of 360,655 euros. In the case of a provincial contribution (equal to 20% of the expenditure + 50% for people with disabilities, in addition to INAIL and INPS contributions), the expenditure borne by the Municipality would be 244,822.