Ministry of Labour and Social Protection announced amendments to the Labour Code

    Today, the meeting of the National Council on Labour and Social Issues approved the approaches enshrined in the draft Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Amendments to the Laws on Labour Relations”, providing for alterations and additions to the Labour Code. Deputy Minister Igor Starovoitov spoke about the amendments offered by the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection.

     

    New approaches to the regulation of distant working

    Amendments include new approaches to the regulation of distant working.

    The Labour Code is supplemented by norms providing that remote work can be not only permanent, but also temporary (not more than six months in a calendar year), and it also be carried out by alternating remote work and work at the workplace in an organization (combined work).

    The employer and the employee will be able to reach an agreement on the conditions of such work both during the hiring process and during the period of employment.

    Remote work on a temporary basis will not require amendments to the employment contract and will be carried out on the basis of the employer’s order. The condition for the performance of the combined work will be subject to inclusion in the employment contract.

    Additional measures to protect workers’ health

    Additional measures to protect workers’ health have been announced. Thus, the new article of the draft law provides for the employee’s right to be released from work in order to undergo medical examination while maintaining the average earnings at the place of work. The number of days off from work will be determined depending on the employee’s age.

    This right will be exercised by the employee’s submission of an application. In this case, the day of release from work will be agreed upon by the employee with the employer.

    Flexible approaches when exercising the right to a paid day off work per week

    The Labour Code offers more flexible approaches to the use of the right to a paid day off work per week by parents raising three or more children under the age of sixteen, or a disabled child under the age of eighteen.

    At the request of the employee and in agreement with the employer, it is possible, instead of one free day a week, to set for the employee a reduced duration of work (shift) by one hour with the preservation of wages.

    Extension of rights in terms of compensation for working conditions

    An employee working under harmful and (or) hazardous working conditions, gets a right, at his/her request, to receive monetary compensation instead of milk or equivalent food products.

    19.11.2021