Sealing a Job Application: What No One Tells You, But You Should Know

Hello, I'm Amadeo Perez, and today I come to talk to you about sealing the employment claim, something that, believe me, I know firsthand that can bring you more than one headache if you don't pay attention. I've been there. I've been through the system more times than I'd like to count, and if you're in the same situation, let me spare you the mistakes I made back in the day.

So get comfortable, I'll tell you everything you need to know about how to renew your employment claim without getting lost in the process.

What Is Job Sealing?

For those of you who are just getting started with this, job sealing is, simply put, confirming every so often that you are still actively looking for work. This is not optional. If you are collecting unemployment benefits, subsidies or any kind of aid from the SEPE (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal), you have to do it yes or yes. Otherwise, you could face penalties that could leave you a month or more without getting paid.

Eye: Every time you renew your claim, you get the DARDE (Documento Acreditativo de Renovación de la Demanda de Empleo (Documento Acreditativo de Renovación de la Demanda de Empleo). This little piece of paper is gold, because on it is the date on which you will have to renew again

How to Stamp the Job Application?

This is where many people get confused. You have two ways to do it:

1. At the office. While it's still possible, I don't recommend this option. It limits you by schedules and, truth be told, no one wants to waste their morning in a queue, right? But if you are traditional, you only need your ID card and the DARDE.
3. Online. The best option, without a doubt. You can do it from any device with internet connection and anywhere in Spain, which is ideal if you are in the middle of a move or you have an unforeseen event. Yes, forget about it if you are outside the country; it does not work.

Each Autonomous Community has its own portal for this procedure. Here's a trick: if you worry about forgetting to stamp, set an alarm on your mobile for the exact day, or write down the date on a calendar that you see daily. No kidding, because if you forget, the consequences are serious.

What Happens if You Don't Stamp on Time

If it seems to you that stamping the claim is not important, think twice. Forgetting to stamp your unemployment can have serious financial consequences. The first time you miss the date, you lose a month's benefit. The second time, the penalty goes up to three months. The third time it's six months, and the fourth time you lose your benefit for good. Got it? This is not a game.

Now, if you find out late and it's only been a day or two, run to the office as soon as possible. They may let you through if you justify it well, but don't count on it every time.

Renew Early or Later

There's no way around it here. You cannot stamp either before or after the indicated date, except for very punctual exceptions in some autonomous communities, such as the Canary Islands. But the normal thing is that you have only the day of the exact date, and period. In case the day you are due is a holiday, don't worry, because they allow you to stamp the next working day.

Advantages of stamping the claim online

In addition to avoiding the hassle of queuing at the offices, stamping the claim online has several advantages that people often overlook:

• You can do it 24 hours of the day you are due. This is an incredible advantage if you have a complicated schedule or if you like to procrastinate until the last minute.
• You don't need an appointment. You simply connect to the system of your Autonomous Community and that's it.
• You can save the walk to the office, and best of all, you can do it from home in your pajamas.

And as if this were not enough, you have a receipt in PDF format that you can save on your computer or print just in case you are asked for it.

What Nobody Tells You About Stamping Your Unemployment

I'm going to tell you something that not many people know: if you forget to stamp once, things can get really ugly. And not just because of the immediate penalty. If you are receiving any of the benefits such as Renta Activa de Inserción (RAI) or the Plan Prepara, the first forgetfulness can cost you to lose the benefit permanently.

Renewing the Claim in Special Cases

What if on the day it is your turn to renew you are sick or have an accident? You just get screwed and that's it? Well, no. In these cases, you have to notify your employment office and present a medical certificate or sick leave report. Don't play hard to get and get that piece of paper, because it's your only way to avoid the penalty

Conclusion: Don't gamble

My experience has taught me that, when you're unemployed, you have to take this seriously. The bureaucracy can be a mess, but sealing the job claim is vital to maintaining your rights. So now you know, set alarms, use post-its, or whatever it takes, but don't let it slide. Your pocket will thank you for it.