The Croatian government on Thursday sent to the parliament draft amendments to the Labour Act which, according to Labour and Pension System Minister Mirando Mrsic, will maintain the existing jobs and create new ones, as well as facilitate employers' efforts to be swiftly adjusted to the market.
The government-sponsored bill envisages a shorter and simpler procedure for providing for laid-off workers, and the amendments will also shorten the notice periods so that the notice will not run during paid holidays or leaves of absence.
Notice periods will not run during a worker's sick leave, but a notice expires six months from the date of the notice.
As for the arrangement of work hours, a week can consist of 56-60 work hours, but the monthly work hours cannot be higher than the result of the number of weeks in that month multiplied by 40 hours.
According to Mrsic, the draft amendments provide for more flexible hiring such as part-time and casual work.
The new amendments prolong the time for lawsuits which workers can lodge against employers from three to five years.
The minister said that the government had held negotiations with its social partners on these changes for a year, and believed that longer negotiations would be futile.
The bill of amendments will receive two readings.
Prime Minister Zoran Milanovic said that Germany had amended its labour legislation 10 years ago, which enabled that country to enjoy stability and exit the crisis.
It is not bad to lag 10 years behind Germany, but it would be ridiculous to lag 20 years behind, Milanovic said, urging the adoption of the new Croatian labour legislation.
(Hina)
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