In Merida, a SEPE official was punished for assisting without an appointment. In Merida, a SEPE employee faced disciplinary action for attending to citizens without a prior appointment. His actions sparked public debate and led to intervention by the ombudsman. Authorities explain the decision by referring to internal regulations.
A dispute has erupted in Mérida involving 57-year-old SEPE employment service employee Juan Carlos Nieto. Management has initiated disciplinary proceedings against him for repeatedly attending to visitors without prior appointments when there were open slots or cancellations at the office. According to EL PAÍS, the official faces up to six months of suspension without pay for violating service instructions and "insubordination to management."
The situation gained widespread public attention after the ombudsman intervened. The office requested an explanation from the Ministry of Labor, recalling numerous citizen complaints about difficulties in booking appointments and accessing services at employment offices. Nieto himself notes that up to a third of appointments go unused and that many issues can be resolved in a few minutes, but formal restrictions prevent helping those who arrive without appointments, even if the office is empty.
The Ministry of Labor emphasizes that the disciplinary process is related not only to attending to people without appointments but also to other reasons not disclosed for confidentiality reasons. However, as EL PAÍS notes, the official documents specifically mention violations in the procedure for receiving and issuing certificates required for social benefits. Management believes that Nieto’s actions create unequal conditions for those who have scheduled appointments and may complicate the work of his colleagues.
The story of Juan Carlos Nieto is not the first instance in Spain where individual government employees have succeeded in changing bureaucratic rules. In the past, similar cases have led to adjustments in regulations — for example, after the 'Soy mayor, no idiota' campaign, banks changed their approach to serving elderly clients. In this case, it concerns access to social benefits, on which low-income families, migrants, and elderly people who do not use digital services depend.
In Mérida, the situation sparked a wave of support: around a hundred people gathered outside the SEPE office to show solidarity with the official. Nieto himself emphasizes that he is not asking for sympathy, but is simply doing his job — helping those who are in a difficult situation and cannot wait for months due to bureaucratic delays. Now, the central management of the employment service will decide whether he will face disciplinary action.
The context shows that the issue of access to government services and digital inequality remains relevant for many regions of Spain. Authorities claim that there are no delays in granting benefits in Mérida, and that being registered is itself confirmation that the process has begun. However, as with recent debates over priorities and regulations in other areas — for example, during discussions of company and resident interests in Andalusia (details on the conflict surrounding EU regulations and water supply), the issue of balancing regulations with the real needs of citizens remains unresolved.
For reference: SEPE is the key agency for employment and social benefits in Spain. In recent years, the department has faced increased workloads and complaints about the difficulty of accessing services, especially among vulnerable groups. Intervention by the ombudsman in such cases usually indicates a systemic problem that requires a revision of approaches to public service.
