25.05.2022
GREECE IS LOOKING FOR WORKERS FROM ABROAD
The agricultural sector in Greece is exhausted by labor shortages and farmers are looking for seasonal workers from other countries.
After the tourism sector and the agricultural sector, problems with labor shortages began. Farmers are urging the government to introduce a simplified procedure for migrants to work in agriculture, BNR reported.
In one area of Crete alone, there are less than 25,000 workers in vegetable greenhouses. In northern Greece, where they traditionally rely on seasonal workers from the Balkans, there are also not enough thousands.
At least 10,000 workers are in demand in the Pella region, famous for its cherries. Local producers even invite agricultural workers from Ukraine. Messages were also sent to refugee camps in Poland.
According to Greek farmers, who are worried that their harvest will remain unharvested this summer, the pay and conditions they offer are the same as in other European countries.
25.05.2022
AN ELECTRONIC REGISTER OF PEOPLE OF WORKING AGE WHO NEITHER WORK NOR STUDY IS BEING CREATED
An electronic register of unemployed Bulgarians will be created, which will provide information to the employees of the Employment Agency where they are and what are the reasons why hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians neither study nor work.
This is provided by the amendments to the Employment Promotion Act, which were debated in the second reading by the Parliament.
The register of inactive persons will not be public and only the interested institutions will have access to it. The data will be collected in cooperation with the NRA, MES, GRAO, NSI, ASA.
According to a report by the Employment Agency, 900,000 Bulgarians neither work nor study. 170,000 of them are young people or this is 17 percent of young people in our country and according to this indicator Bulgaria is one of the leading places, according to the reasons of the petitioners.
"Inactive people are a serious reserve on the labor market, but currently the Employment Agency reaches a small part of them due to legal gaps," reads the reasons for the bill.
According to the petitioners, the changes in the law will allow the agency to actively interact with institutions for analysis, search and contact with people who are of working age, but due to various factors can not reach the agency's services to find work.
25.05.2022
SEE WHAT STAFF PRIVATE AND STATE COMPANIES ARE LOOKING FOR
State and private companies have announced what kind of staff they are looking for, it is clear from the Draft Decision for approval of the list of employers who have the right to conclude contracts under Art. 95a, para. 1 of the Higher Education Act in the academic year 2022 - 2023, uploaded for public discussion.
Based on this list, the state will determine the payment of tuition fees for students with contracts with an employer.
The list for the academic year 2022/2023 includes 153 employers nominated by 7 ministers - Economy and Industry, Health, Energy, Regional Development and Public Works, Agriculture, Transport and Environment and Water. The need for employers included in the list is stated to be 1416 specialists.
The Minister of Health has proposed a list of 53 hospitals (public and private) with a reported shortage of nurses.
The other ministries have included in their proposals private and state companies from all parts of Bulgaria. The Minister of Innovation and Growth has not proposed employers to be included in the list.
The proposed act ensures the sustainability of the policy pursued by the Ministry of Education and Science to improve the quality of higher education and achieve compliance with the dynamics of the labor market.
The expected results from the implementation of the proposed draft act are optimization of the relationship between higher education and the needs of the economy and society by implementing the mechanism for covering by the state the training costs of students who have a contract with an employer to provide internships. the relevant specialty for the period of training and in the workplace after its successful completion, reads the reasons for the project.
25.05.2022
THE RULES FOR SOCIAL BENEFITS ARE CHANGING
Social benefits will now be determined on the basis of the size of the poverty line for the respective year, determined by a decree of the Council of Ministers. This is provided by amendments to the Social Assistance Act, introduced by the Council of Ministers in the National Assembly.
Until now, the law provided for the Council of Ministers to determine the monthly amount of the guaranteed minimum income, which serves as a basis for determining social benefits.
The law will enter into force on January 1, 2023.
If the unemployed people who meet the conditions for monthly benefits refuse to participate in employment programs, they will be deprived of monthly benefits for a period of six months, instead of one year, as before, is another change in the law.
The scope of cases in which deductions from cash social benefits can be made is also expanding. Such will be able to be done on unscrupulously received funds from social benefits, established by an effective act.
In addition, those who have received social benefits in bad faith are deprived of this money until the amounts due are reimbursed, but for a period not exceeding one year and not two years as before.
The changes also state that the Minister of Labor and Social Policy and persons authorized by him will have the right to access data from information systems, registers and databases in the field of social assistance maintained by the Social Assistance Agency.
The Social Assistance Directorates and the Social Assistance Agency will have the right to free access to our data from the Registry Agency, the Employment Agency, the Ministry of Education and Science, the National Social Security Institute and the National Revenue Agency, the bill says.
25.05.2022
ILO: THE LABOR MARKET SITUATION IS DETERIORATING
The labor market situation in the first quarter of 2022 was worse than at the end of last year and will continue to deteriorate in the second quarter, especially as a result of restrictions in China and events in Ukraine. This is the forecast of the International Labor Organization (ILO) from today.
In the first quarter of 2022, the total number of hours worked worldwide was 3.8% lower than in the fourth quarter of 2019 - before the introduction of restrictions, the report said. The ILO estimates that this decline will reach 4.2% between April and June this year, equivalent to the loss of 123 million full-time jobs.
"Overall working hours are expected to decline in the second quarter of 2022, mainly due to ongoing measures to curb the spread of the pandemic in China, exacerbated by the events surrounding the conflict in Ukraine," experts said.
According to the report, in the fourth quarter of last year, 3.2% fewer working hours were worked worldwide than in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Between January and March 2022, the situation worsened compared to the previous quarter, which is an "obstacle to the recovery" of economic life observed in 2021.
The International Labor Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, develops international policies to improve working and living conditions and sets international labor standards.
23.05.2022
ROMA AWARENESS INITIATIVE
A campaign has been launched to raise awareness among the Roma population about migration and the risk of abuse and exploitation in Bulgaria and abroad. The campaign is organized in the community center of the capital's Filipovtsi district by the National Network of Health Mediators, the Bulgarian Family Planning Association and the Minority Health Problems Foundation within a project of the International Organization for Migration.
The official opening of the meeting was attended by the director of the regional employment service in Sofia Polina Marinova, who stressed that the Employment Agency supports any initiative aimed at reducing vicious practices for labor exploitation. Part of the event were the photo stories from the campaign "Let's open the door", which was organized on the occasion of the International Roma Day. The exhibition panels reflect real moments from everyday life, work and Roma culture, as well as stories from the life of Roma who have started working on employment promotion programs.
The meeting brought together interested organizations and representatives of the Roma community to present and discuss the project. Topics related to the rights and obligations of Roma in legal migration in the EU and EEA countries, asylum and migration, human trafficking, risk of labor exploitation abroad, living and working conditions, access to social and health services and other were discussed. The campaign schedule also includes information meetings in Breznik, Tran, Provadiya and Harmanli.
23.05.2022
NEARLY 6,300 UNEMPLOYED WILL BE INVOLVED IN TRAINING ON SOCIAL PARTNER PROJECTS
Contracts have been signed with the social partners for the implementation of projects under the National Action Plan for Employment in 2022. The projects will provide an opportunity for 6,269 unemployed people to participate in training for professional qualification and/or key competence, at least 40% of these will be included in employment thereafter.
The trainings are aimed at vulnerable groups on the labor market - unemployed under 29 or over 50, long-term unemployed, people with low or undesirable professional qualifications on the labor market and lack of key competencies, including low education, as well as to persons outside the labor force, discouraged persons or dismissed as a result of the epidemic situation. They will be subject to a comprehensive approach, including the provision of training, internships and employment for a period of at least 3 months in the primary labor market or in subsidized jobs, and funding will be shared between the state and employers.
Despite significant changes in the economic and social situation following the COVID 19 pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine and the negative processes in the world economy, it is expected that the planned trainings will fully meet the current needs of business staff in its restart and development.
In 2022, the projects will be implemented in over 110 small and large settlements across the country. The trainings are in a wide range of professions - builders, cooks, salesmen, office workers, computer operators, tailors, social workers, welders, foundries, cashiers, guides, electricians and many others and are in response to specific needs of employers from real and the public sector. The skills possessed by the workforce are becoming more and more important for employers, which is why a large part of the unemployed included in the projects is expected to undergo training and acquire public and civic competencies or initiative and entrepreneurship, learning skills, digital or mathematical competence.
The projects of the social partners, which are being implemented in 2022, are:
Project "SUCCESS TOGETHER" of Association of Industrial Capital in Bulgaria (AICB) envisages the inclusion of 872 unemployed people in training for the acquisition of key competencies and vocational training in 18 professions, and at least 310 people will be included in employment.
The activities under the project "KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR WORK" of Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (CEIB) provide for the inclusion of 920 unemployed people in training in 17 professions and the acquisition of digital, personal, social civic competence or competence to acquire learning skills. 322 people will be provided with employment in the profession acquired from the trainings under the project.
Under the project "ADAPTATION OF THE LABOR FORCE" of Bulgarian Industrial Association (BIA) will be held trainings on "Digital Competence" for 120 people and "Learning Skills" for 420 people. A total of 883 unemployed will gain professional qualifications in 17 different professions, 319 of them employment in the profession acquired by the trainings will be provided.
The activities under the STIMUL project of the Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) envisage the inclusion of 865 unemployed persons in training in 12 professions and the acquisition of digital, personal, social civic competence or competence for the acquisition of learning skills. 303 people will be provided with employment in the profession acquired from the trainings under the project.
The project "WITH NEW GREEN AND ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS FOR NEW EMPLOYMENT" of Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) includes training for 999 people in seven professions. Employment will be provided to at least 61.16% of the unemployed persons included in the project trainings, and the employment will be in accordance with the qualification acquired under the project.
Under the HORIZONS 7 project of Confederation of Labor "Podkrepa", trainings will be held in the key competence “Civil competence” for 200 persons and in the key competence “Personal competence, social competence and competence for acquiring learning skills” for 709 persons. A total of 909 people will acquire qualifications in 17 professions. After the successful completion of the trainings, 336 people will be employed or trained.
The project "OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYMENT AND SELF-EMPLOYMENT" of the Union for Business Initiative (UBI) will enable 817 unemployed people to undergo training in 4 key competencies. by the trained persons to be arranged in appropriate jobs, requested by employers - project partners.
23.05.2022
IN WHICH SECTORS ARE MOST SOUGHT AFTER WORKERS
The war in Ukraine and the ensuing economic shock threaten to wipe out much of the recovery and growth since the pandemic. Despite the deteriorating working conditions of a number of companies - mostly those dependent on conflict-prone energy supplies - at this stage there are no particular indications of serious labor market problems, according to an analysis by the Institute for Market Economics.
Data published this week by the NSI Labor Force Survey for the first quarter show a slight decline in the total number of employees compared to the previous - from 3080 thousand to 3068 thousand people for the age group of 15 years and older. Due to the shrinking population, however, the employment rate improved by 0.1 percentage points. However, as the winter months are usually the "bottom" of employment in Bulgaria, it is difficult to directly attribute this decline to the new economic shock, especially given that compared to the first quarter of 2021 there is an increase in total employment by 40 thousand people. We must also take into account the fact that in the first quarter of 2022 there are only 5 weeks of the military conflict, which continues to this day, and therefore we can expect a more serious impact from it in the second quarter, where the overall economic dynamics is driven mostly by the aftermath of the war, according to the IME.
At the district level, the dynamics are mixed. Most districts registered an improvement compared to the same quarter of 2021, but there are also significant declines, most visible in Kyustendil, Sliven and Smolyan. Almost all regions where no improvement has been reported are among those that have suffered a more severe blow to the local economy during the Covid-19 crisis, and their continuing problems are a sign of more persistent structural problems with supply and quality. labor force and labor demand. At the same time, the highest growth is observed in less economically developed areas, where there is still a free labor force.
The decline in employment in Plovdiv is also impressive - by more than 3 points compared to the fourth quarter of 2021, although the regional labor market remained relatively unaffected during the previous crisis. It is also important to note that 12 districts have already exceeded the values of the employment rate from the first quarter of the record for the labor market 2019, most visible in Varna (by 8.3 percentage points) and Kardzhali (by 4, 6 pp). However, this does not necessarily mean a large increase in the number of jobs due to the large decline in population over the past two years, the analysis said.
According to economists, the distribution of employment by economic activity clearly demonstrates the reorganization of the economy as a result of the crisis and the contraction in tourism and international travel. It is in the hotel and restaurant sector that the largest decline in the number of employees is observed - by 28% compared to the first quarter of 2019 or over 40 thousand people. At the same time, the positive dynamics and the high demand in construction determine the growth of employment both in the sector itself and the approximate doubling of the number of employees in real estate operations.
There is a strong positive dynamics both in professional activities (including part of the outsourcing of business services) and in ICT. In other words, despite the large shortage of staff - defined as the mismatch between the declared demand from companies and the number of graduates in these vocational colleges, the digital business continues to add new employment, at a relatively rapid pace - within a year in the ICT sector have grown by 23% to 124 thousand people.
A look at the shorter-term effects of the war and the deteriorating economic climate can be found in the monthly unemployment data from labor offices. At this stage, however, there are no indications of deterioration, on the contrary - in April 2022 the number of registered unemployed decreased by over 5 thousand people compared to March, which leads to a decrease in the unemployment rate by 0.2 points to 4 .6%. The contraction of unemployment in the last month has been observed in all districts of the country, except in Sofia (district), where the increase is insignificant.
In summary, the latest available data point to the limited impact of the 'new crisis' on the labor market. However, this does not mean that if the military conflict in Ukraine - and thus its impact on energy prices and supplies and overall economic dynamics - continues, the affected companies will not be forced to lay off workers and reduce employment, the IME concluded.
23.05.2022
HOW TO INCREASE OUR WORK REMUNERATION?
The salary can be considered from many points of view, because it is influenced by many different factors, but of particular importance is the specific work we do. The international platform Paylab.com, which operates in Bulgaria through its joint website with JobTiger - Zaplatomer.bg, has been collecting information on salaries for more than 10 years. The company has set up local pay comparison platforms in more than 20 countries. Paylab has made a list of nine key factors that can explain why you get more or less from market levels. It is worth keeping them in mind the next time you analyze your salary or consider changing jobs.
Companies operating in economically strong sectors offer higher wages at all levels because they have better remuneration systems that include financial bonuses. Sectors that have proven to be economically strong in the long run include information technology, energy, telecommunications, banks and others, incl. electronics and automotive industry. It is not uncommon for an office manager in an energy company to earn up to 30% more than an office manager in a tourism company.
The amount we receive also depends on the size of the company we work for. Most large corporations offer their employees more generous financial terms and benefits than small employers. According to Paylab's analysis, average salaries in companies with more than 250 employees are up to 14% higher than salaries in small companies with up to 50 employees.
Work in large corporations is more structured, allowing employees to profile and specialize to a greater extent. Decision-making is limited by many levels of government. The way of working in smaller companies is less formalized. It is common practice for employees to take positions with more accumulated responsibilities and to be more flexible. This means that tasks inherent in many work activities can be combined in one position.
Average wages in the private sector are usually higher than in the public sector. While the public sector is able to compete with local private companies in some countries, it is generally unable to compete with foreign-owned private companies.
Paylab's analysis shows that average wages in foreign companies are 12 to 50% higher than average wages in the private sector in individual countries. In the first place, foreign companies have more capital, an attractive corporate culture and different standards of care for employees in emerging markets. Remuneration of public sector employees is subject to legal restrictions.
In general, salaries increase with years of experience. According to Paylab, people with many years of experience, ie people with more than 6 years of experience in a position, receive up to one fifth more than new employees. If the employer is looking for an experienced candidate, he must keep in mind that this employee will be more expensive than an inexperienced new employee.
The experiment is not free. Each employee has invested a lot of energy, training and time to acquire their knowledge and skills to their current level. Paradoxically, the next employer often rewards employees for their previous experience. Wages often change more dynamically for people who change jobs more often.
Experience is a key argument in the interview when negotiating the final salary. Experience abroad, interesting projects or working with various online tools, people, team management and the like are of particular importance. HR professionals and your future executives are happy to hear about your previous experience, as they perceive it as added value for their company.
Paylab's analysis shows that higher education graduates have seen accelerated wage growth throughout their careers. Employees with higher education usually earn on average up to 50% more than an employee who has completed secondary education. The pay gap increases with age, given that employees with higher education have accelerated career growth in their careers. With regard to lifelong income, the pay gap in favor of higher education graduates means that high school graduates are usually unable to make up for this difference.
The choice of education and field of training has a fundamental impact on the future income of each employee.
The fact that a person works for a long time is not constantly reflected in higher wages. According to Paylab, the peak of the pay potential or the age at which people usually receive the highest incomes is 37-40 years. In fact, pay is growing much more dynamically for young employees. When we reach the age of fifty, our pay generally increases at a slower rate than people under the age of forty. Employee preferences change and stability becomes more important with age. Older employees are more loyal and do not change their jobs as often as their younger colleagues.
Paylab's analysis shows that the average pay gap between men and women in the same position is 9% to the detriment of women. Often the pay gap in favor of men is the result of delays in women's careers when they have children. As women focus on the family, men's careers continue to advance. The need to balance family and work responsibilities often causes women to accept work that takes less time. They aspire less to managerial positions than men.
The length of each break in women's careers, family support and assistance, and working conditions provided by their employer have a significant impact on their income. Companies are currently working to support greater diversity in the workplace and to create an environment for women in which they have the same opportunities as men.
According to Paylab, large cities, and especially capitals, offer better payment terms than smaller cities and regions far from the capital. This is mainly due to the fact that the central offices are usually concentrated there and the jobs offered are more competitive.
Paylab's analysis shows that an accountant in the capital can earn up to 24% more than an accountant in a region outside the capital. Differences in the cost of living should be seen as a complement to location, as they are usually higher in cities. There are, for example, such significant differences in pay in the field of trade. For example, employees in this sector in Prague in the Czech Republic receive salaries that are up to 43 percent higher than employees in other regions.
Assertiveness regarding the remuneration for the work done pays off. Employees who take the initiative and raise the issue of their salaries to their supervisors using the right arguments usually achieve some improvement. Your income and working conditions depend to a large extent on your personal commitment.
If your employer is happy with your job, it is in their best interest to be happy. It is worth raising the issue of salary adjustments as soon as you have achieved significant success, made an important contribution to the company's progress, improved processes or saved costs. You can also discuss your salary with your employer if your basic salary has not changed for a long time or is below the current market value for your position.
20.05.2022
HOW TO CALCULATE PERSONAL INFLATION?
The calculator of the so-called personal inflation is available to everyone on the website of the National Statistical Institute. The calculator takes into account changes in the prices of over 800 goods and services and allows us to calculate the price of our monthly consumption of various goods and services and see how it changes over a period of our choice.
The consumer basket of goods and services, which the National Statistical Institute uses to calculate the consumer price index and use it to calculate the inflation rate for Bulgaria, consists of 846 goods and services. For each product or service - e.g. bread, milk, movie ticket, petrol - the average price for the month and the average price for the previous year are calculated. The total consumer price index is calculated as a weighted average of changes in the prices of all 846 goods observed in more than 6,400 retail outlets in the 27 cities where prices are monitored.
However, the inflation rate does not depend only on how the prices of goods and services change. Another important factor is the weight of the individual goods and services included in the consumer basket. Weights determine the share (importance, significance) of various goods and services in the consumer basket and hence the impact of changes in their prices on the overall change in prices, ie on the inflation rate.
The weights used by the National Statistical Institute to calculate price indices (inflation rate) are determined based on data from the Household Budget Survey. They refer to the average consumer and as such reflect the consumption structure of an average Bulgarian household.
However, the average consumer exists only theoretically. For this reason, officially calculated inflation may differ from your calculations of personal inflation: for example, if you do not smoke, your personal consumption will not include the cost of tobacco products included in the basket used to calculate the official inflation rate, indicated by the NSI.
Calculator for calculating personal inflation
The calculator allows you to calculate your personal inflation, ie your consumer price index by entering your personal monthly and annual expenditures to match your personal consumption pattern.
Based on the data entered, graphs and a table with official and your calculations of monthly and annual inflation will be displayed, so you will be able to see how different weights due to different consumption patterns affect the overall change in prices. A separate chart "Cost Comparison" compares your personal consumption pattern with the consumption pattern of the average household by main types of expenditure.
