
The government has introduced amendments to the Labor Code to harmonize the national regulatory framework with the norms in force in the EU and international labor standards.
In particular, according to the draft, a new type of leave is introduced - unpaid leave to care for a sick relative. It will be a leave of 5 days during a calendar year. Such leave will be available upon application of the employee, attaching a copy of the identity card of the person in need of care, a declaration under the personal responsibility of the employee that the person in need of care lives with him/her, a medical certificate. This leave will be included in the work record. The draft promotes norms to improve the processes of organizing shift work, offering greater opportunities for labor activities and providing normative flexibility for the work of pregnant women, women who have recently given birth and breastfeeding women - they will be able to perform work at night, weekends and non-working days on the basis of a written application and a medical certificate, with the consent of the employer. The Labor Code will be supplemented with a provision that any employee will be able to agree or refuse to provide additional work on the basis of a written or electronic document signed before overtime work occurs. According to another change, teenagers will be able to enter into individual labor contracts for light work starting at the age of 15, but with the written consent of their parents or legal representatives. The conditions for light work will be set by the government additionally. For the use of undeclared labor of minors there will be introduced separate, high fines from 120 to 150 conventional units (c.u.) - for individuals, from 200 to 300 c.u. for officials and from 300 to 400 c.u. for legal entities. It is also proposed to significantly increase fines for mass use of undeclared labor of minors or adults (2 or more persons): 210-1200 c.u. - for individuals, 360-1300 c.u. for officials, 460-1500 c.u. for legal entities. The bill should be approved by the Parliament. // 21.02.2024 - InfoMarket