05.10.2022
IN WHICH AREAS THERE IS NO ONE TO REPLACE THE PENSIONERS
Fewer and fewer young people are entering the labor market and succeeding in replacing the elderly who are retiring. This is shown by the latest NSI data from the 2021 census.
The total age dependency ratio, according to data from the 2021 Census, is 60.2, or for every 100 persons in the age group 15 - 64, there are 60 persons under 15 and 65 and over.
By comparison, in 2011 this ratio was 46.5, or the increase in the burden of persons of active age continues to grow. This ratio is best in the districts of Sofia (capital) (52.0), Blagoevgrad (55.7) and Varna (56.8), and the worst is in the district of Vidin (75.4).
The reproduction of the working age population is best characterized by the demographic replacement rate, which shows the ratio between the number of people entering the working age (15 - 19 years) and the number leaving the working age (60 - 64 years). According to data from the 2021 Census, this ratio is 61. For comparison, in 2011, every 100 persons exiting the working age were replaced by 70 young people, and in 2001 by 124.
This attitude is most favorable in the regions of Sliven (79), Varna (71) and Sofia (capital) (70). In two areas, the demographic replacement ratio is below 50 - Smolyan (41) and Kardzhali (46), the NSI indicates.
The trend of aging of the population also leads to changes in its basic age structure - below, in and above working age. Both the aging of the population and legislative changes in determining the age limits for retirement have an impact on the aggregates of the population at and above working age. For 2021, these limits are from 16 to the age of 61 years and 8 months for women and 64 years and 4 months for men.
The population of working age as of September 7, 2021 is 3,815 thousand people, or 58.5% of the country's population. Compared to 2011, the working population decreased by 762 thousand, or by 16.7%. Men are 1,997 thousand, and women - 1,818 thousand.
The population above working age is 1,726 thousand people, or 26.5%, and below working age - 979 thousand people, or 15% of the country's population.
04.10.2022
BNB ANNOUNCED A RECORD INTEREST RATE FOR OCTOBER
The Bulgarian National Bank (BNB) has announced that it will raise the basic interest rate (simple annual interest rate) by 0.49 percent from October 1, 2022. For the first time, the basic interest rate has been different from 0.00 since January 1, 2016, when it was 0.01%.
In the months before the basic interest rate became 0.00 it hovered between 0.02 and 0.04. The basic interest rate had a similar level to the one announced for October in 2009, when it was 0.55%.
The value of the basic interest rate matters, but only in some limited cases. Mainly the basic interest rate is used to calculate the penalty or statutory interest on late payment. The calculation is done by adding 10% to the base interest rate.
The basic interest rate is an instrument by which the value of a monetary unit in a country's economy is regulated and measured. Its amount is determined by the Central Bank. When the basic interest rate rises, it usually happens in a strong economy in order to balance it out.
The entral bank reduces its size when the economy is in difficulty and there is a need to support it. This is done in order to stimulate the withdrawal of loans and provide new jobs. Inflation is also regulated in this way.
According to Bulgarian legislation, the basic interest rate is not included in the calculations of interest by the Bulgarian National Bank when granting short-term or quick loans to commercial banks. There is an exception only in the granting of loans to commercial banks for a period of up to 3 months, subject to compliance with certain strict conditions.
04.10.2022
PAY DURING PAID LEAVE
For the duration of the paid annual leave, the employer pays the worker or employee remuneration, which is calculated from the average daily gross labor remuneration charged to the same employer for the last calendar month preceding the use of the leave, during which the worker or employee worked at least 10 working days.
When there is no month in which the worker or employee has worked at least 10 working days for the same employer, the remuneration under para. 1 is determined by the basic and additional wages of a permanent nature agreed in the employment contract.
Prohibition of monetary compensation:
It is prohibited to compensate the paid annual leave with cash benefits, except upon termination of the employment relationship.
04.10.2022
UNEMPLOYMENT IN OUR COUNTRY REMAINS AT THE SAME LEVEL IN AUGUST
The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the European Union in August was 6 percent. The indicator has maintained its values compared to July, and compared to August 2021 it has fallen by 0.8 percentage points. The unemployment rate in the euro area reached 6.6 percent in August, also unchanged from a month earlier, but on an annual basis, it fell by 0.9 percentage points. This is shown by the latest seasonally adjusted data of the European statistical agency Eurostat, published on its website.
The unemployment rate in Bulgaria in August remained unchanged from July - 4.6 percent, which, however, compared to August 2021, is a decrease of 0.4 percentage points, according to the seasonally adjusted data of Eurostat. This represents 151 thousand Bulgarians who did not have a job in August, but were actively looking for one and were ready to start one. In August 2021, they were 161 thousand.
Native youth unemployment (persons under the age of 25) in August rose to 13.8 percent (equivalent to about 18,000 people) from 13 percent in July. However, on an annual basis, the decrease in the indicator is significant, as in August 2021 it was 16.1 percent.
12.921 million people in the EU, of which 10.966 million were in the euro area, were unemployed in August 2022. Compared to July, the number of unemployed decreased by 52,000 in the EU and by 30,000 in the euro area. Compared to August 2021, the unemployed were 1.682 million fewer in the EU, and 1.358 million fewer within the euro area.
In August 2022, the unemployment rate for women in the EU was 6.4 percent, while the unemployment rate for men was 5.7 percent.
Youth unemployment
In August, 2.614 million people under the age of 25 were unemployed in the EU, of which 2.136 million were residents of the euro area. In August 2022, the youth unemployment rate was 13.8 percent in the EU, unchanged from the previous month. Youth unemployment in euro area countries was 13.9 percent, down from 14 percent in July.
Compared to August 2021, in this year's August, youth unemployment decreased by 293 thousand people in the EU and by 234 thousand people in the Euro area.
04.10.2022
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES REMAIN THE MOST COMMON WORK-RELATED HEALTH PROBLEM
"Musculoskeletal disabilities remain the most common work-related health problem in Europe. That is why it is necessary to unite the efforts of all interested parties for the prevention of the disease in the workplace". This was said by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Labor and Social Policy Lazar Lazarov at a national conference on "Healthy workplaces - lighten the load". The forum is organized by the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy as the National Focal Point of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. The conference is organized within the framework of the European campaign dedicated to risk management and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries at work.
In his welcome, Minister Lazarov cited data from the sixth European survey of working conditions, which shows that millions of workers across Europe suffer from work-related musculoskeletal injuries, and three out of five workers in the EU complain of such ailments. "A third of workers with a musculoskeletal disability or other health problem think they will not be able to continue to do their job into their 60s. This inevitably reduces their quality of life and their capacity to work, reduces the competitiveness of businesses and economies and contributes to the largest share of lost working days in the EU," the Minister of Labor and Social Policy pointed out. Disabilities increase society's costs of treatment, rehabilitation and employment, he added.
Minister Lazarov emphasized that cooperation between employers, managers and workers, as well as the development of social dialogue, will lead to an increase in awareness of the problem and to ensuring a higher level of protection for workers. He also emphasized the importance of the role of employers in taking timely measures to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.
According to the European Enterprise Survey on New and Emerging Risks 2019 (ESENER), the most commonly identified risk factor for the occurrence of such problems in the EU-27 is repetitive hand or wrist movement, reported by 65% of enterprises. Other risks are prolonged sitting (61%), lifting or moving people or heavy loads (52%), time pressure (45%) and tiring or painful work positions (31%).
03.10.2022
MORE AND MORE JOBS IN THE RES SECTOR
Global jobs in renewable energy sectors reached 12.7 million last year, a jump of 700,000 new jobs in a year, with China accounting for 42 percent of global total employment.
The report, titled "Renewable Energy and Jobs: Annual Review 2022" and published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), shows that almost two-thirds of all these jobs are in Asia.
China alone accounts for 42 percent of the total global share, followed by the EU and Brazil with 10 percent each. The report also shows that solar energy is the fastest growing sector. Francesco La Camera, Director General of IRENA, said that "in the face of numerous challenges, renewable energy jobs remain resilient and have proven to be a reliable driver of employment creation".
03.10.2022
PROTECTION FROM DISMISSAL IF WE HAVE AN ILLNESS
Bulgarian legislation regulates the protection in the event of dismissal of certain categories of workers and employees working under an employment relationship. The Labor Code establishes the so-called "preliminary protection" in case of dismissal. It is preliminary because it precedes the execution of the dismissal. Its purpose is to make the execution of the dismissal dependent on obtaining prior authorization from a certain state or trade union body, and only after obtaining this authorization can the dismissal be carried out. This permission is requested in writing from the employer and must be obtained in writing from the competent state or trade union authority. If such permission is not sought, or after it has been sought, is not given at all, or is not given before the dismissal, the dismissal on that ground alone is unlawful.
The protective procedure is a precondition that the employer is obliged to comply with when dismissing the workers specified by law. Prior authorization for dismissal means the consent or refusal to allow the dismissal to take place by a competent state or trade union body. This body is the relevant regional labor inspectorate and the relevant trade union body
The law in Bulgaria states that workers or employees suffering from any of the following diseases have protection in the event of dismissal:
In order to comply with the procedure, the enterprise collects preliminary information from the workers who are designated for dismissal, whether they suffer from the listed diseases.
Workers who suffer from the diseases mentioned above are obliged, upon request, to submit to the enterprise medical documents (epicrisis, medical certificate, etc.) from the medical and preventive facilities where they are treated or taken to a dispensary report. The enterprise submits the received medical documents to the relevant territorial expert medical committee (TEMC) for an opinion.
The enterprise sends to the relevant Labor Inspection Directorate a written request for permission for each worker or employee designated for dismissal, and in individual cases the institution takes the opinion of TEMC before making a decision.
Reference:
Art. 333 of the Labor Code
Art. 1, para. 1 of Ordinance No. 5 of 20.02.1987 on diseases for which workers suffering from them have special protection according to Art. 333, para. 1 of the Labor Code
30.09.2022
EMPLOYMENT INCOME IN THE EU IS APPROACHING PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS
Last year, the average disposable income of households in the European Union increased by 3.6 percent compared to 2020. Employment income has increased sharply across all quintiles (parts) of the population, but remains, albeit slightly, below pre-pandemic levels, while the at-risk-of-poverty ratio remains flat. This is indicated by the early estimates of the European statistical agency Eurostat, published today on its website.
The coronavirus pandemic has caused a significant reduction in economic activity, with some business sectors temporarily closed, leading to an unprecedented increase in absentee or part-time workers. As a result, employees suffered losses in their employment income and governments were forced to introduce temporary support schemes to offset the impact of a crisis.
Early projections for 2021 show positive developments in the income distribution and significant growth for low-income households. This is in line with the main trends in the labor market and the significant reduction in the number of workers affected by the temporary disease control measures. In addition, social protection schemes aimed at stabilizing wages and household income continued to be implemented in many Member States.
The at-risk-of-poverty ratio remains unchanged
The level of at-risk-of-poverty in the EU has maintained its values in 2021, but the situation varies across member states, especially when cumulative effects are assessed, says Eurostat's early assessment.
In 2021, 95.4 million people in the European Union, equivalent to 21.7 percent of its population, were at risk of poverty and social exclusion, Eurostat previously informed.
This means that these people were exposed to at least one of the three social risks associated with poverty and social exclusion - they were at risk of poverty, severe material and social deprivation or lived in a household with very low economic activity (people of working age in this household worked 20 percent or less of the normal number of working hours), the EU statistics office notes.
Bulgaria ranks second among the EU countries in terms of this indicator. Last year, 32 percent of the people in our country were exposed to the risk of poverty and social exclusion, Eurostat data showed earlier this month.
Compared to pre-pandemic 2019, in 2021 among the Union countries for which data are available, 5 registered an increase in the poverty level, of which 4 were statistically significant: Greece, Croatia, Latvia and the Netherlands.
In 11 EU countries, the poverty level is unchanged, and in another 7 it has decreased: Finland, Cyprus, Germany, Lithuania, Romania, Sweden and Bulgaria.
30.09.2022
THE IMPORTANT THINGS WHEN WORKING ON A TERM EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT
Fixed-term employment contracts are those whose content has a precisely defined or determinable term. The various fixed-term employment contracts are comprehensively listed in Art. 68, para. 1, items 1 - 5 of the Labor Code. In Art. 68, para. 2 of the Labor Code provides that employees under a fixed-term employment contract under Art. 68, para. 1 of the Labor Code have the same rights and obligations as employees under an employment contract for an indefinite period of time. They cannot be placed at a disadvantage only because of the fixed-term nature of their employment relationship compared to employees under an employment contract for an indefinite period who perform the same or similar work in the enterprise, unless the law places the exercise of certain rights in depending on the qualification held or the skills acquired.
When there are no workers and employees employed in the same or similar work, workers and employees under a fixed-term employment contract cannot be put in a more unfavorable position than other workers and employees who work under an employment contract for an indefinite period. When an employment contract is concluded for a certain period on the basis of Art. 68, para. 1, item 1 of the Labor Code, this may be for the performance of temporary, seasonal or short-term activities or exceptionally - for works and activities that do not have a temporary, seasonal or short-term nature.
According to Art. 68, para. 3 of the Labor Code fixed-term employment contract under Art. 68, para. 1, item 1 is concluded for the performance of temporary, seasonal or short-term works and activities, as well as with newly hired workers and employees in enterprises declared bankrupt or in liquidation. In para. 4 of Art. 68 of the Labor Code, it is regulated that, exceptionally, a fixed-term employment contract under Art. 68, para. 1, item 1 for a period of at least one year may be concluded for works and activities that are not of a temporary, seasonal or short-term nature. Such an employment contract can also be concluded for a shorter period at the written request of the worker or employee. In these cases, the fixed-term employment contract under Art. 68, para. 1, item 1 with the same worker or employee for the same job may be re-contracted only once for a period of at least one year.
It should be borne in mind that according to Art. 68, para. 5 of the Labor Code employment contract under Art. 68, para. 1, item 1, concluded in violation of para. 3 and 4 of the same provision, is considered concluded for an indefinite period.
30.09.2022
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