From 7 April 2026, the annual law dedicated to small and medium-sized enterprises came into force. This is Law no. 34 of 11 March 2026, published in the Official Journal no. 68 of 23 March, which introduces, among the various measures, an incentivized part-time tool. This was designed to accompany senior workers towards retirement and, at the same time, encourage the entry of new generations into the job market.
What is incentivized part-time
This is an experimental measure, valid for the two-year period 2026-2027, which allows employees close to retirement to gradually reduce their working hours without penalizing their future pension allowance. This is possible thanks to the recognition of notional contributions and a contribution exemption, which leads to an increase in the net pay slip.
The measure is limited to a total maximum of 1,000 workers at a national level, thus configuring itself as a pilot tool, useful for evaluating its effectiveness in view of a possible expansion.
Who can access: the requirements
Not all workers can benefit from this benefit. The requirements are precise and must be met jointly:
- be registered with compulsory general insurance (AGO), its exclusive and replacement forms, or with INPS Separate Management (Law 335/1995);
- have a full-time and permanent employment contract with a private employer;
- work in a company with no more than 50 employees;
- have a seniority of contributions prior to 1 January 1996;
- meet the requirements to access the pension (old-age or early) by 1 January 2028.
The reduction in hours can vary between a minimum of 25% and a maximum of 50% compared to full time. The operating methods, including any elastic or flexible clauses on a weekly or monthly basis, are agreed between the worker and the employer through an act with a certain date.
The obligation to hire
The law does not limit itself to encouraging the gradual exit of senior workers, but also introduces a fundamental employment compensation. Every employer who grants subsidized part-time is in fact obliged to simultaneously hire a worker under 34 with a full-time and permanent contract. This is a concrete generational exchange, which aims to guarantee the transmission of skills and corporate know-how between those who are leaving and those entering the world of work.
This mechanism responds to one of the main challenges of the Italian productive fabric. SMEs, which represent the backbone of the national economy, often struggle to renew themselves: on the one hand, more experienced workers have no incentive to reduce their hours, on the other, companies do not have adequate tools to manage a gradual and organized turnover.
The role of INPS and spending limits
The monitoring of the measure is entrusted to the INPS, which keeps the number of applications submitted under control. The institute is also called upon to prospectively evaluate the approach to the maximum number of authorized workers (1,000 in total).
If the spending limit is reached or imminently exceeded, INPS suspends the examination of new applications and promptly informs the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
