Argentina and Columbia End COVID-Related Emergency Employment Measures

Both Argentina and Colombia recently lifted certain COVID restrictions that will impact employment. In Argentina, employers are no longer required to pay double severance compensation for termination without justified cause. For employers in Colombia, a few decrees have expired in relation to severance fund withdrawals, flexibility of working hours and others.  

Argentina: the end of the double severance compensation 

In Argentina, employers can terminate employment at any time without justified cause, subject to payment of severance compensation provided by labor laws. However. In December 2019, an urgent decree was issued, in order to offset the negative impact caused by COVID, to double the severance compensation for employees who were dismissed without cause. The decree applies to all types of employment contracts. 
With the double severance compensation for dismissal without cause coming to an end on June 30th , employers can terminate an employment contract without having to pay the increased severance payment. 

Colombia: a few employment-related decrees expired as the state emergency ended in June