Functions, contributions and benefits
The Construction Workers Fund (Cassa Edile/Edilcassa), is a joint organization within the construction industry, administered jointly by employers’ organizations and trade unions. Its role is to address the specific conditions of the construction sector and to ensure that construction workers enjoy a level of protection comparable to that in other sectors of the economy.
The Construction Workers Funds are organized on a regional basis. Their activities are based on the relevant collective agreements for the construction sector.
Who must register with the Construction Workers Fund?
In principle, companies in the construction trade must register their workers and trainees with the relevant Construction Workers Fund. This applies to both companies in the building trades and those in the construction industry.
The company’s activities and the applicable collective agreement are particularly decisive for the application of the regulations. Not every occasional activity on a building site automatically leads to an obligation to register.
Even companies based outside the territory of the relevant Construction Workers Fund may be obliged to pay contributions to a specific regional fund if employees working there carry out relevant construction work.
What benefits does the Construction Workers Fund provide?
A key role of the Construction Workers Fund is the administration of certain wage components which, due to the specific nature of the construction trade, are not handled exclusively via the monthly payroll accounting process.
The most important benefits include:
- Holiday pay: The amounts paid in monthly are collected by the Construction Workers Fund and paid out to the employee in July.
- Christmas bonus: This benefit is also administered by the Construction Workers Fund and paid out to employees in December.
- Construction sector seniority allowance (APE – Anzianità Professionale Edile): In the construction industry, this benefit replaces the traditional length-of-service allowance and is paid out in May, provided the specified conditions are met.
- Welfare benefits: Depending on the regulations in force, the Construction Workers Fund offers additional support for employees and their families. This may include, for example, contributions towards training, social benefits or support in specific circumstances.
- Workwear: Workwear is provided to workers annually, or the employer receives a subsidy towards this.
- Occupational and health and safety training: In many areas, the Construction Workers Fund also undertakes tasks relating to training, health and safety, and accident prevention.
However, the Construction Workers Fund is not responsible for the Wage Compensation Fund (CIG) in the event of work stoppages, such as during the winter.
How are contributions calculated and reported?
Contributions to the Construction Workers Fund are calculated as part of the monthly payroll accounting. The company pays the stipulated contributions and wage components to the relevant Construction Workers Fund.
Employees can see the corresponding amounts on their payrolls. The provision for holidays and Christmas bonus does not constitute a deduction from the normal monthly wage, but rather an additional wage component administered by the Construction Workers Fund.
The regular payment of contributions to the Construction Workers Fund therefore influences the issue of a positive DURC. Outstanding contributions may result in the certificate not being issued correctly.
South Tyrolean Construction Health Care Fund (Sani.Fonds Bau)
In addition to the benefits provided by the Construction Workers Fund, employees in the construction sector in South Tyrol have access to the South Tyrolean Construction Health Care Fund. This offers supplementary health cover for employees in the construction industry.
In accordance with its rules on benefits, the Fund covers certain healthcare services and can also be used for family members, provided the specified conditions are met. Contributions are processed via the Construction Workers Fund.
What is the appropriateness of wage costs check?
Another task is the site-specific adequacy check, known in Italian as verifica della congruità. This involves checking whether, for certain construction projects, the declared wage costs are proportionate to the scope of the work. The scheme is intended, in particular, to support compliance with labour law obligations and fair competitive conditions in the construction industry.
This assessment applies to public construction works as well as private construction projects with a total value of at least 70,000 euros. The decisive factor is the total value of the project, not merely the contract awarded to a single company.