12.08.2022
BGN 56 MILLION IS BEING INVESTED AGAINST YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT
With BGN 56 million from the Recovery and Sustainability Plan, skills will be developed among young people up to the age of 29 who are unemployed, have dropped out of the education system or are at risk of leaving school. This was announced by the Ministry of Education and Science (MES) on its Facebook page.
They will be trained in youth centers that will work in partnership with businesses. BGN 40 million has been earmarked for the construction of these centers in regional cities. The rest of the funds will be for cities that are not regional centers.
It is envisaged that the youth centers will have classrooms for training in digital and media literacy, identifying fake news and language courses.
In parallel with the trainings, activities for business consulting, support of youth entrepreneurship, consultations and other assistance for developing own business ideas are planned. An opportunity will also be created to involve young people in volunteer activities.
12.08.2022
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM NAVY SEALS ABOUT DECISION MAKING
From deciding what to wear to choosing which task to tackle first when we go to work, we make thousands of decisions every day. Some are trivial, but others can have quite serious consequences, both for ourselves and for others. When making these choices, it can be easy to get lost in thought, methodically weighing all the possibilities. While this may seem like a sensible process, it can also lead to a number of missed opportunities. Sometimes you have to make a decision quickly and decisively.
In today's world, we're overwhelmed with information, which causes many people to suffer from what's known as "analysis paralysis," says Ryan Angold, a former Navy SEAL and CEO of military equipment supplier ADS, Inc. “You want to research things and take advantage of all the resources you have access to so you can make the right decision. But you can't be idle forever. At the end of the day, there is no 100% perfect solution,” he says.
"All the solutions are essentially the same," says VMWare Chief Digital Transformation Officer Mike Hayes, who is a former Navy SEAL commander and author of Never Enough: A Navy SEAL Commander on Living a Life of Excellence, Agility, and Meaning'.
During his 20-year career with the SEALs, Hayes has learned that decision-making when it comes to a matter of life and death is no different in process than any low-stakes decision
"Whether I'm making an investment decision about what the company needs to do right now or deciding what actions my SEAL squad needs to take, it all boils down to the same decision-making framework," he says.
Gather feedback, ideas and perspectives
When you're a leader or a high-performing team member, you likely have a built-in experience to draw from
"The requirement in Navy SEALs is to be prepared for many different scenarios, to have trained for operations in the most extreme and to be prepared for the worst," says Angold. "These reference points are useful because they allow you to say, 'OK, we've seen this before.' Maybe the situation isn't identical (it never is), but the experience helps you make quick decisions," he adds.
Gathering feedback from others is key. Hayes, who served as a White House fellow and director of defense policy and strategy on the National Security Council under the Bush and Obama administrations, says it's important to seek out the opinions of people who don't think like you.
"Too often we tend to seek feedback from like-minded people," he says. "When you accept feedback from people who don't think like us, and you foster a culture that encourages the expression of different ideas, it's easier for your team members to say something like, 'I don't think that's a great idea. I would do the following." That framework gives you the ability to arrive at the best decisions," explains Hayes.
"Too many leaders feel they have to make the decision themselves," adds Angold. "Relying on your team is not a sign of weakness. "Strong leaders use their resources," he says.
Decide when to make a choice
"The first part of the decision-making process is actually choosing when to make it," says Hayes. "This is the step where most people go wrong."
Knowing when to make a decision depends on getting the best possible data needed to make a choice as quickly as possible. Sometimes the decision time is 30 seconds, such as deciding when to drop a bomb. Other times the decision time can be two weeks.
"There are times when gathering more information is helpful in making a decision, but in other situations you have to act on instinct," Hayes explains.
Waiting too long can also affect the decision, Angold says. "You can't sit on one forever," he says. "People are waiting for you to make a choice because other decisions may depend on it. Sometimes, if you delay too long, the effect of making the right decision is lost because you missed the right moment,” he adds.
Be prepared for adjustments
There is always the possibility that you have made the wrong decision. Hayes and Angold say humility will help you both make the right decision and deal with the situation you'll find yourself in if you get it wrong.
"When making decisions, many senior executives let their egos dictate the rules," says Hayes. "They think that backing away from the position they've taken will make them look bad." You have to be comfortable with the idea of saying, “There's new information, let me review it. We may have to change course, he adds.
According to him, this is the clearest sign of good leadership, because it shows that the leader is ready to put the organization before himself and make the right decision.
Angold shares his view. "It takes a lot of humility to admit that you made the wrong decision," he says. “This is where communication and that transparency with your team is important. You can gain a lot of extra trust from your people when you admit your mistakes,” he adds.
Source: Manager magazine
11.08.2022
COMPENSATION FOR UNUSED PAID ANNUAL LEAVE UPON TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT
My employment is about to be terminated, but I have leave that I haven't used yet. Is there an obligation for the employer to pay me the days of paid annual leave that I have not taken, or can I transfer them to my next employer?
According to Art. 224, para. 1 of the Labor Code (LC), upon termination of the employment relationship, the worker or employee has the right to monetary compensation for the unused paid annual leave, the right to which has not been extinguished by statute of limitations. The compensation under the mentioned paragraph is calculated according to the order of Art. 177 LC as of the day of termination of the employment relationship (art. 224, paragraph 2 LC).
There is no legal basis in the law for transferring unused paid annual leave from one employer to another.
According to the provision of Art. 123, para. 1 LC, the employment relationship with the worker or the employee is not terminated upon a change of employer as a result of:
In the cases under Art. 123, para. 1 of the LC, the rights and obligations of the transferring employer prior to the change, which arise from the employment relationship as of the date of the change, are transferred to the new acquiring employer (Article 123, paragraph 2 of the LC). This means that upon changing the employer in accordance with Art. 123 of the LC, there is no basis for payment of compensation under Art. 224, para. 1 LC.
According to Art. 42, para. 2 of the Ordinance on working hours, rest and leaves (OWHRL), compensation for unused paid annual leave under Art. 224 of the LC is also paid in cases where, on the date of termination of the employment relationship, the worker and the employee do not have an acquired right to leave. Workers and employees are entitled to cash compensation for unused paid annual leave when they have acquired at least 1 full month of work experience. The last month of work experience of more than 1 month is considered complete if the worker and the employee have served at least half of the working days of the month - Art. 42, para. 3 OWHRL. The amount of compensation for unused paid annual leave under Art. 224, para. 1 of the Labor Code is determined in proportion to the time that is recognized as work experience in the enterprise on the day of termination of the employment relationship (Art. 42, Para. 4 OWHRL).
Cash compensation is due for paid leave that has not been used and has not lapsed
According to Art. 176, para. 1 LC, the use of paid annual leave can be postponed to the next calendar year by:
When the leave is postponed or not used until the end of the calendar year to which it refers, the employer is obliged to ensure its use in the following calendar year, but no later than 6 months, counting from the end of the calendar year to which it refers applies (art. 176, para. 2 LC). When the employer has not authorized the use of leave in the cases and within the terms under Art. 176, para. 2 of the LC, the worker or employee has the right to determine the time of its use by notifying the employer in writing at least 14 days in advance (Art. 176, paragraph 3 of the LC).
Regarding Art. 176a, para. 1 LC, when the paid annual leave or part of it is not used until the expiration of two years from the end of the year for which it is due, regardless of the reasons for this, the right to use it is extinguished by statute of limitations. When the paid annual leave is postponed under the conditions and according to the order of Art. 176, para. 1 LC, the worker's or employee's right to use it is extinguished by statute of limitations after the expiration of two years from the end of the year in which the reason for not using it ceased to exist (art. 176a, para. 2 LC).
In the event that the prerequisites for liability on the part of the employer of the compensation under Art. 224, para. 1 of the LC, it is paid regardless of the type of reason for terminating the employment contract.
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 at 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 - Art. 177, para. 1 LC. 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 (art. 177, para. 2 LC.)
In Art. 17, para. 1 of the Ordinance on the structure and organization of the salary (OSOS) provides that in the gross remuneration for determining the remuneration for paid annual leave under Art. 177 or the benefits under Art. 228 of the Labor Code, include:
In the gross remuneration for determining the remuneration for paid annual leave under Art. 177 of the Labor Code, the corresponding proportional part of the additional periodic or annual remunerations paid after the use of paid leave is included, and for this purpose the paid remunerations for paid leave are recalculated (Article 17, Paragraph 2 OSOS).
According to Art. 18. para. 1 OSOS, the average daily gross labor remuneration under Art. 177, para. 1 of the Labor Code is established by dividing the gross remuneration charged at the same employer for the last calendar month preceding the use of leave, during which the worker or employee worked at least 10 days, by the number of days worked in that month. The average daily gross remuneration under Art. 177, para. 2 of the Labor Code is established by dividing the basic and additional wages of a permanent nature agreed in the employment contract by the average monthly number of working days during the relevant calendar year. At a certain monthly amount of the labor remuneration established under Art. 18. para. 1 OSOS, sentence one, the average daily gross remuneration is adjusted by a coefficient obtained from the ratio of the number of working days of the month, accepted as a base, and the number of working days of the corresponding month, during which the leave is used (Art. 18. para. 2 OSOS). In the case of a cumulative calculation of working hours, the number of days worked is determined by dividing the hours worked in the month after the conversion of night hours into daytime hours by the daily duration of working hours established for the workplace in the case of daily reporting of working hours (Art. 18. para 3 OSOS).
In Art. 22, para. 1 of the LC, it is established that the gross remuneration for determining the benefits under this section (including the compensation under Art. 224 of the LC) is the gross remuneration received by the worker or employee for the month preceding the month in which the reason arose for the corresponding compensation, or the last monthly gross remuneration received by the worker or employee, unless otherwise provided.
11.08.2022
OVER 3,000 UNEMPLOYED WILL ADDITIONALLY START WORK UNDER THE NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT PLAN
The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy provided nearly BGN 5.7 million under the National Employment Action Plan. Additional funds will be directed to employment and training programs and measures for people from vulnerable groups on the labor market. Providing the funds will enable 3,097 unemployed people to start work, and 257 people to be included in training.
The redistribution of the financial resource was approved today at a meeting of the National Council for the Promotion of Employment. The predominant part of the funds will be used for the inclusion in employment of young people, long-term unemployed, people with disabilities, unemployed in pre-retirement age and people entitled to temporary protection.
In this way, the total number of people who will start work under programs and measures of the National Employment Action Plan in 2022 will reach 25,051 people. Those included in the trainings will increase to 10,743 people.
11.08.2022
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION HAS APPROVED THE "HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT" PROGRAM FOR THE 2021-2027 PROGRAMMING PERIOD
The "Human Resources Development" program (2021-2027) has been officially approved by the European Commission and is the first program in Bulgaria to receive a "green light" from Brussels. The HRDP (2021-2027) is co-financed by the European Social Fund + and the national budget. The budget of the program amounts to more than BGN 3.8 billion, which is expected to support more than 740,000 people in Bulgaria.
Through the implementation of the Human Resources Development Program, support will be provided for the development of the workforce in Bulgaria and overcoming the challenges facing the labor market. In the next seven years, measures will be implemented that will provide more opportunities to increase the qualifications, knowledge and skills of the employed. The most vulnerable groups in society - unemployed, people with disabilities, people living in poverty, children, adults, representatives of the Roma community will receive support for full inclusion in the economic and social life of the country.
Under the HRDP, support will be provided to vulnerable people and their families. The support will be complex - on the one hand, opportunities for professional realization will be created, and on the other - their access to quality social and health and social services will be improved. The socio-economic integration of disadvantaged people will be promoted by increasing the range and quality of services provided. It is planned to identify the individual needs of each person in need and prepare profiles with the most appropriate measures for the person concerned. With European funds, services and quality care will be provided in the community or in a home environment.
For the first time, "Youth employment" is separated into an independent priority in the program. With a budget of over BGN 735 million, measures will be implemented to identify, inform and motivate inactive young people, include them in employment, internships, apprenticeships, training and support for their first job. An individual approach and complex support will be provided for young people in a disadvantaged position on the labor market. The main objective of the measures will be to facilitate the transition from education to employment.
A total of BGN 20 million from the Human Resources Development Program (2021-2027) will be directed to projects for social experimentation, testing and implementation of social innovations in the field of the labor market and social inclusion. Part of the funds will encourage the testing and evaluation of innovative solutions before their implementation on a larger scale. Social and solidarity economy enterprises can play a key role in achieving social innovation. The activity of the Competence Center for Social Innovations will be supported through the HRDP. In this way, the development of social innovations in the enterprises of the social and solidarity economy will be supported.
11.08.2022
TWICE AS MANY NEWLY UNEMPLOYED AS THOSE WHO HAVE STARTED WORK
The newly registered unemployed are twice as many as those who started work and are 5,234 and 2,686 people respectively - this is according to the latest data of the specialized monitoring of the labor market of the National Statistical Institute and the Employment Agency for the first week of August.
Since the beginning of the year, there are slightly more than 152,000 people registered in the labor offices, and 108,500 people who are employed.
For the period August 1-7, the largest number of people were registered in the labor offices in the capital - 649 people, followed by the regions of Plovdiv, Blagoevgrad and Varna. The data show that Sofia, the capital, also has the largest number of people who found a living - 247 people, followed by the Burgas region - 206.
From January 3 until now, there is a tendency for newly registered people to outnumber those who started work through the labor offices. The only exception is the week from June 27 to July 3, when those who entered work were just over 10,000, and those registered at the labor offices were twice as few.
10.08.2022
JOB POSTINGS DOWN IN JULY
The largest electronic career development platform reports a significant drop in job postings in July. There were nearly 6,000 offers, or 12 percent less than in June.
The largest decrease is in the hotel and restaurant sector. In the last week of July, the tendency for the newly registered unemployed to outnumber the employed continues, according to the latest data from the labor market monitoring of the National Statistical Institute and the Employment Agency.
The data shows a decrease in job postings across all sectors.
Experts comment that this should not be a cause for concern. A major factor in the decrease in the number of offers is the summer vacation period, when both employers and job seekers are less active in the labor market.
On an annual basis, the drop in offers is one percent or nearly 500 offers.
Apart from a drop in the hotel and restaurant industry, the largest reduction in offers was reported in the sectors of healthcare and pharmacy and administrative and service activities.
The leader in terms of the number of ads are trade and sales, as well as production.
The number of offers for work from home and/or remote work decreased by 7% compared to June. They are just over 5200 or 13% of all.
The number of refugee-friendly job postings in June was just over 2,500, also down 7% from the previous month.
For the period 25-31 July, 3,571 people were registered in the labor offices throughout the country, and 2,454 were employed.
Since the beginning of the year, the newly registered are just over 147,400 people, and those who have found a livelihood – 105,860.
26.07.2022
WHEN DOES THE LIMITATION COUNT FOR OBLIGATIONS RELATED TO CONTRACTS AND CIVIL CASES?
The idea of the statute of limitations is to make a creditor collect the relevant claims, debts, loans in a way that does not prolong this process, does not abuse. Its introduction makes it possible for the debtor to request repayment of the creditor's right to seek protection. The goal is that the debtor or his heirs do not live constantly in fear and worry about how, after 30 years, a creditor may decide that he will demand something owed, including the interest.
The statute of limitations is mainly in the Law on Obligations and Contracts (LOC). It is there that it is written that with the expiration of the five-year statute of limitations, all claims for which the law does not provide for another term are extinguished. Immediately thereafter, however, it was determined that with the expiration of a three-year statute of limitations, the claims for remuneration for work for which no other statute of limitations is prescribed, those for compensation and penalties from an unfulfilled contract, as well as claims for rent, interest and other periodic payments. It is the latter - periodic payments, in this case it is very important, because they include, for example, the mass bills for electricity, heating, water, etc.
And here we come to the first main question - when does the statute of limitations begin to run? The LOC defines that "the statute of limitations begins to run from the day the claim became due". This means from the day on which the corresponding payment should have been made. This is the basic rule, the most common case. However, there are several other hypotheses. For example, it is written in the LOC that if it is agreed that the claim becomes due after an invitation, the statute of limitations begins to run from the day the obligation arose, the law also specifies. For tort claims, the statute of limitations begins to run from the discovery of the perpetrator. And finally - for late payment penalty claims, the limitation period begins to run from the last day for which the penalty is charged.
It is important to know that the law considers invalid an agreement that shortens or extends the established limitation periods, as well as the waiver of limitation before it has expired.
It is also important to consider when the statute of limitations is interrupted. There is an interruption with recognition of the claim by the debtor. The situation is the same when presenting a claim or objection, or a request to start conciliation proceedings. However, if the claim or the objection, or the request to start conciliation proceedings is not respected, the statute of limitations is not considered interrupted. There is also an interruption with taking enforcement actions. From each interruption of the limitation period, a new limitation period begins to run. If a claim is established by a court decision, the new limitation period is always five years.
From 2021, the rule for the absolute statute of limitations was also introduced in the LOC. It states that with the expiration of the ten-year statute of limitations, monetary claims against natural persons are extinguished, regardless of its interruption, except when the obligation is postponed or rescheduled. However, this statute of limitations does not apply to claims from the commercial activities of sole traders or natural persons - partners in a company, for unlawful damage, unjust enrichment and for maintenance, for labor remuneration, for benefits under the Labor Code, on the occasion of a privatization transaction, on the occasion of property restituted in accordance with a legal act.
25.07.2022
POSSIBILITY OF A GRANT UNDER THE TECHNOLOGICAL MODERNIZATION MEASURE FOR THE PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW PRODUCTION LINES AND PRODUCTS
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country can now apply for grants under the Technological Modernization measure for the purchase of equipment and software for the development of new production lines and products. If it is a question of micro companies, they can claim a maximum of BGN 180,000. The ceiling for small companies is BGN 350,000, and for medium-sized companies - BGN 700,000. The funds can be used to buy machines with automated control, robots or digital process control systems. Co-financing is up to 50%. Submission of the projects will be done entirely electronically through the ISUN 2020 system, and the deadline for this is September 21, 2022 (inclusive).
The procedure is primarily aimed at manufacturing companies - for medicines, computers or optical materials, food, beverages, clothing, etc.
The scheme is the first under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and will be implemented by the General Directorate of European Competitiveness Funds (DG ECF) at the Ministry of Innovation and Growth. Through it, a total of BGN 260 million will be invested in Bulgarian business. The minimum amount of the grant under the program is BGN 35,000, while the maximum amount is determined based on the size and needs of the applicants.
The main objective of the procedure is to increase the efficiency of production processes, achieve higher productivity, reduce costs and optimize the production chain by providing grants to SMEs, commented the Minister of Innovation and Growth, Daniel Laurer.
Enterprises that deal with the collection and disposal of waste or the recycling of materials, film and television studios, radio, television and news agencies, as well as companies with architectural, engineering or scientific research and development activities are also eligible.
Applicants must be registered no later than December 31, 2019.
By the end of the year, according to the Bulgarian NRRP, it is expected to start another procedure to support production investments - for the construction of RES and energy storage facilities.
19.07.2022
PRIME MINISTER CHUKA - THE "START UP NATION" PROGRAM IS FOR NEWLY CREATED COMPANIES AND FOR ROMANIANS ABROAD
Prime Minister Nicolae Chuca announced the start of the Start-Up Nation program for start-up companies in Romania, saying that part of it is intended for Romanians abroad who want to return to the country and open their own businesses.
"The Start Up Nation program for new companies established in Romania starts today. Companies will have access to RON 200,000 in the form of grants, which are targeted at a total of 55,000 beneficiaries throughout the program. Applicants can register on the granturi.imm.gov.ro platform. A special segment of this program is aimed at Romanians abroad who want to return to the country and start a company. In this way, Romanians who have gone abroad will be able to build a business in the country.
It is vital for the Romanian government to support private initiative in the economy, to encourage small investors, as well as to guarantee opportunities for Romanians abroad.
