The Huésped Foundation expressed serious concern about the articles related to health in the Labor Modernization Bill, promoted by the national government, and stated that "without health, one cannot work." The main warning focused on modifications related to sick leave and the risk of health precariousness, and they emphasized that "one cannot choose between health or work." Initially, they pointed out the item that confirms the salary reduction due to illness and indicated that, if certain changes to the regulations are approved, people who get sick "could end up receiving only between 50% and 75% of their salary," depending on the diagnosis. The Huésped Foundation assured that this is an "incentive for medical neglect" because said economic reduction "will force many workers not to declare that they are sick or to avoid going to the doctor" so as not to affect their income or put their job at risk. In the same vein, the organization links these measures to a general deterioration of the health system and denounces that there have been budget cuts since the beginning of Javier Milei's administration and lack of contract renewals that directly affect people who need treatments for HIV, hepatitis, or to get vaccinated. The project presented by the government and approved by the National Senate last Wednesday proposes significant changes that directly impact the health and safety of workers, the entity considered. For sick leave and/or accidents, for example, a payment scale is established, reduced for illnesses or accidents not attributable to fault, that is, those that do not strictly derive from the work the person performs: the worker will receive 50% of their salary for 3 months, if they have no dependents, or 6 months if they do, but if the impediment does not derive from a voluntary and risky action, the payment increases to 75% in the same timeframes. On the other hand, it obliges the worker to submit to the controls of the doctor designated by the employer and, in case of disagreement in the diagnosis, an appeal can be made to a medical board in official institutions or institutes of recognized trajectory. This initiative also includes a 1% reduction in the employer's contribution to the National Health Insurance System, which has generated criticism for the possible defunding of social works. Likewise, in this new regime for independent workers with collaborators, the owner will have to make a monthly contribution to cover the pension system and the social works regime for each of them. To conclude, this project introduces a new methodology such as the so-called "hour bank," which allows for working days of up to 12 hours daily, which will be compensated with rest days, and not with the payment of overtime, which, in addition, is pointed out as a risk for rest and psychophysical health. "This modification encourages people to attend work with contagious diseases, such as the flu, which can put their colleagues at risk. Or that people do not say they are sick or do not go to the doctor to protect their job. One cannot choose between health or work."
