SEPE 2026: unemployment benefits procedures by phone and online without in-person visits

Key data

Unemployed workers and employment managers no longer need to travel to a SEPE office to process their benefits. The Resolution of June 2, 2026 from the General Management of SEPE formalizes and regulates with full legal coverage the telephone and telematic channels for all procedures related to unemployment benefits. The regulation enters into force on the same day of its publication, July 15, 2026, without a transitional period.

For companies with workers on ERTE or with high staff turnover, this represents a significant reduction in the administrative burden associated with managing unemployment files.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution regulates two fundamental aspects: the processing channels admitted and the valid identification systems for operating in each one.

Admitted identification systems

Requests submitted through integrated electronic forms combine in a single step the identity verification and consent of the applicant, eliminating the need to sign separate physical documents. Identification made by telephone is evidenced by voice recording or by diligence incorporated into the administrative file.

The legal basis that supports all this regulation is article 10.2.c) of Law 39/2015, on Common Administrative Procedure of Public Administrations, which allows organizations to enable alternative identification and signature systems for certain procedures.

Economic and operational impact

For companies, the most direct impact is the reduction in time and administrative cost in managing unemployment files, especially in ERTE situations or high staff turnover.

• Fewer trips: workers affected by an ERTE or dismissal do not need to physically attend the SEPE office, which reduces absenteeism associated with these procedures during the notice or transition period.
• More agile delegated management: labor managers and advisors can process files telematically or by telephone with full validity, without the need for additional in-person powers of attorney.
• Reduction of errors and delays: electronic forms integrate identity verification and consent in a single step, which minimizes documentary incidents that previously required returning to the office.
• Groups with mobility difficulties: the regulation has a particularly positive impact on workers with difficulties in in-person travel, reducing the risk of delays in receiving benefits.

There are no direct costs for companies arising from this resolution. The impact is operational and efficiency-related, not economic in terms of new obligations or fees.

Who does it affect?

• Unemployed workers who must request or manage their contributory benefit or unemployment subsidy.
• Workers on ERTE (Temporary Employment Regulation File) who need to process or modify their situation with SEPE.
• Labor managers and advisors who process unemployment files on behalf of their clients.
• HR and administration departments of companies with restructuring processes, collective dismissals or active ERTEs.
• Groups with difficulties in in-person service: people with reduced mobility, residents in rural areas or with schedules incompatible with office hours.

Practical example

An industrial company activates an ERTE for economic reasons affecting 30 workers. Until now, each worker had to personally attend the SEPE office to request their benefit, with the cost in time and travel that this entails.

With the new resolution in force as of July 15, 2026, the process changes:

1. The company's labor manager accesses the SEPE telematic portal and initiates collective processing of the files.
2. Each worker receives an OTP code by SMS or email to verify their identity and express their consent from their mobile phone, without leaving home.
3. The request is registered with full legal validity, equivalent to in-person signature.
4. If any worker prefers the telephone channel, the call is recorded as proof of their identification and intent.

The result: 30 procedures that previously required 30 individual trips are resolved telematically or by telephone, with the same legal effects and without additional cost for the company or the worker.

What should companies do now?

1. Inform workers affected by ERTE or dismissals that they can now process their benefit by phone or internet, without the need to travel to the SEPE office.
2. Update internal HR protocols to include telematic processing as the standard route in contract termination or suspension processes.
3. Verify that workers have valid identification means: access to Cl@ve, email or active mobile number to receive OTP. Without this data, they will not be able to use the telematic channel.
4. Coordinate with the labor manager or advisory firm the use of integrated electronic forms to streamline collective processing of files.
5. Keep in mind that biometric data is pending operability: do not plan workflows that depend on this system until SEPE confirms its activation.

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-2026-15378