Key data
| Regulation | Resolution of May 28, 2026, from the State Secretariat for Social Security and Pensions |
|---|---|
| Publication | June 10, 2026 |
| Entry into force | June 11, 2026 (the team operates from the third business day after the appointment of all its members) |
| Organization | Provincial Directorate of the National Institute of Social Security (INSS) of Murcia |
| Measure | Creation of a second Disability Assessment Team (EVI) |
| Affected parties | Workers with temporary or permanent disability in Murcia and companies in the region |
| Additional cost | No additional cost: created within existing allocations |
| Category | Social Security |
| Year | 2026 |
Companies with workers on extended leave in Murcia have been suffering delays in resolving disability cases. The State Secretariat for Social Security and Pensions has responded with a concrete measure: the creation of a second Disability Assessment Team (EVI) at the Provincial Directorate of the INSS in Murcia, through Resolution of May 28, 2026.
Until now, a single EVI assumed the entire assessment workload in the province. The notable increase in cases—driven by several structural factors—has saturated that capacity and extended waiting times for workers and companies.
What does this regulation establish?
The resolution formally creates a second Disability Assessment Team (EVI) at the Provincial Directorate of the INSS in Murcia. EVIs are collegiate medical bodies responsible for issuing opinions on work disabilities: they assess whether a worker can continue in their position and to what degree.
The resolution identifies three factors that justify this expansion:
- Aging of the baby boom generation: higher prevalence of chronic diseases and disabilities among the active population.
- Greater functional complexity of EVIs: current cases require more analysis time due to their medical and administrative complexity.
- Regulatory change from RDL 2/2023: temporary disability processes that exhaust 545 days of leave automatically convert into permanent disability cases, which has increased the volume of cases that EVIs must assess.
Regarding operations, the new team will begin operating on the third business day after the appointment of all its members. The resolution does not detail the names of the members, as these will be designated in a subsequent act.
From a budgetary perspective, the measure does not entail additional cost: it is created within the personnel and resources allocations already existing at the Provincial Directorate.
Economic and operational impact
For Murcia companies, the impact is not direct in the form of new obligations or costs, but rather operational and personnel management:
- Reduction in resolution times: with two teams instead of one, opinions on disabilities should arrive sooner. This allows companies to better plan replacements and workforce management.
- Less uncertainty in extended leaves: when a worker exceeds 545 days of leave (RDL 2/2023 threshold), the company needs to know quickly if the case will result in permanent disability to make decisions about the position.
- Impact on contributions and temporary disability management: more agile resolution of cases facilitates the administrative closure of prolonged temporary disability situations, with the consequent effect on insurance and mutual management.
For affected workers, the improvement is direct: less time waiting for an opinion that determines their employment and economic situation.
Who does it affect?
- Companies based or with workers in the Region of Murcia that have employees in temporary disability or in the process of permanent disability assessment.
- Workers on medical leave in Murcia, especially those who have exceeded or are close to 545 days of leave (RDL 2/2023 threshold).
- HR and personnel management departments of Murcia companies that manage replacements, temporary contracts, or extended leave insurance.
- Labor advisors and management firms that process disability cases with the INSS in Murcia.
- Mutual collaborators with Social Security that operate in the province of Murcia.
Practical example
An industrial company in Murcia has an operator on leave for 18 months (approximately 540 days). Upon exceeding the 545 days of leave established by RDL 2/2023, the case automatically moves to permanent disability assessment by the EVI.
Until now, with a single saturated EVI, the opinion could be delayed for weeks or months, leaving the company without clarity on whether the position would be permanently vacant or if the worker could return. With the second EVI operational, the workload is distributed between two teams, which should shorten that period of uncertainty and allow the company to make hiring decisions more quickly.
What should companies do now?
- Review the status of pending disability cases: if you have workers in Murcia with pending INSS opinions, contact your labor advisor or mutual to learn the updated status now that there is greater resolution capacity.
- Identify workers approaching the 545-day leave threshold: RDL 2/2023 automatically converts these cases into permanent disability cases. Anticipating this moment allows you to plan replacements or temporary contracts in time.
- Coordinate with the collaborating mutual: mutuals are the usual communication channel with the INSS in these processes. Ask them to update the estimated resolution timeframes with the new operational team.
- Update workforce planning: if you had cases blocked by administrative delays, this is the time to review coverage plans for affected positions.
- Inform affected workers: employees in the assessment process should know that timeframes may be shortened and that they must be available for EVI appointments.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Disability Assessment Team (EVI) and what does it do?
An EVI is the collegiate medical body of the INSS responsible for evaluating whether a worker meets the requirements to be declared in a state of permanent disability. It issues the opinion-proposal that determines the degree of disability (partial, total, absolute, or severe disability) and on which the INSS's final resolution is based. In Murcia there was until now a single EVI; from June 2026 there will be two.
When does the second EVI in Murcia start operating?
The resolution was published on June 10, 2026, and entered into force on June 11, 2026. However, the new team will begin operating effectively on the third business day after the appointment of all its members, an act that will take place at a later time after the publication of the resolution.
What happens when a worker has been on leave for 545 days in Murcia?
According to RDL 2/2023, when a temporary disability process exhausts 545 days of leave, it automatically converts into a permanent disability case that must be assessed by the EVI. This regulatory change is one of the factors that has increased the volume of cases in Murcia and justifies the creation of the second team.
Does this measure entail any additional cost for companies?
No. The resolution expressly establishes that the second EVI is created within the personnel and resources allocations existing at the Provincial Directorate of the INSS in Murcia, with no additional cost to the Administration or to companies.
Does this measure affect companies outside Murcia?
Not directly. The resolution applies exclusively to the Provincial Directorate of the INSS in Murcia. It only affects workers and companies whose disability cases are processed in that province. Companies with workers in other autonomous communities are not affected by this specific resolution.
Official source
Consult complete regulation in official source
Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-12603