24.03.2020

 

SAEG WITH CLARIFICATIONS FOR CLOUD AND MOBILE ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE

 

A few days ago the State Agency for Electronic Governance (SAEG) announced that citizens have the opportunity to request electronic administrative services through the egov.bg portal using a free cloud or mobile qualified electronic (QES) signature within one month.

The Agency draws attention to the following:

Regarding cloud QES, issued by Borika AD:

To do this you need to visit the company's offices. If you already own a QES issued by Borika AD, then you can request an online issue of a QES cloud. You can find more information in the organization's e-shop, as well as on 0700 199 10 or * 9910 (for mobile operators).

 

For mobile QES, issued by Eurotrust Technology AD:

The application is made online. It is necessary to download the company's mobile application and go through the process of video identification. For more information a video is available and can be obtained by phone +359 2 448 58 58.

 

Through the Single Portal for Access to Electronic Administrative Services - www.egov.bg, there is an opportunity for:

• requesting an administrative service;
• receiving information on the types of electronic services currently active in the Portal and on the procedure undergoing the application process;
• access to samples of necessary documents;
• submission of the application for the service through the Secure Electronic Service System maintained by the SAEG - edelivery.egov.bg;
• Payment of the administrative fees due electronically via the "Electronic Payment Environment" - pay.egov.bg

 

The currently active electronic administrative services, which can be requested through the Single Portal, can be found at www.egov.bg.

09.03.2020

WORKING TOGETHER TO IMPROVE GOVERNANCE AND ANTICORRUPTION

The Open Society Initiative for Europe announces a call for proposals to support civil society actors working to combat corruption, state capture, and poor governance of public institutions.

Application Deadline: May 13, 2020

Across the region, citizens are often faced with public institutions that are unaccountable, corrupt, and undermine democratic processes and the quality of public services. Interventions only focused on monitoring, advocacy, and legal reform have largely proven insufficient to generate positive change. However, we witness promising examples of public sector-civil society collaborations to address these challenges.

We are calling for applications focused on empowering civil society–driven initiatives to increase transparency, accountability, and public participation processes to strengthen public institutions. These initiatives should be implemented in partnership with public institutions at the local, municipal, regional, or national levels, potentially (but not necessarily) also working together with business/private sector stakeholders. They should tackle important governance or corruption challenges and implement solution-oriented and practical approaches to improve the governance of public institutions and their impact on citizens.

Eligible countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

We invite applications from:

    Registered civil society and/or nonprofit organizations (or consortia of organizations) with a background in anticorruption and/or good governance fields as well as working at local and/or national levels in one of the following countries: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia.

    Civil society applicants leading projects in partnership with public institutions at local or national levels. Applicants will need to submit a written statement of support or collaboration issued by staff or representatives of the local or national level government institution(s) with which they intend to work in partnership. This statement needs to be written but can take various forms (such as an email, a letter, a memorandum of understanding, etc.), and can be in English or in the language of the country.

26.02.2020

THE STATE WILL PAY TO HIRE UNEMPLOYED AND LONE PARENTS

Employers from the Montana Region can apply for financial support from the state to hire unemployed persons and single parents. As of yesterday, the Employment Agency launched a procedure for accepting applications from employers seeking to take advantage of this opportunity. The deadline for submitting documents to the Labor Offices is March 4.

The financing parameters are set out in the National Employment Action Plan for 2020 and provide for the provision of wages and social security contributions for employed unemployed persons with a stay in the Labor Office for more than 6 months, up to 24 years of age or above 50 years old, with primary and lower education, unemployed mothers with children under 5 years, etc.

Encouragement measures offer full-time or part-time options. The duration of the employment provided and the subsidy period also varied and ranged from 3 to 12 months. The Labor Offices Cooperation Councils will evaluate by 9 March the applications submitted according to established criteria and will approve the jobs that can be subsidized within the available free financial resources.

Employers can also apply for other preferences to hire certain groups of unemployed people. In parallel, the Employment Agency also provides financial incentives for the unemployed to stimulate their mobility or entrepreneurship. Unemployed people can apply for and receive financial support for day-to-day commuting expenses for long-distance transport to and from work, as well as housing and other expenses when starting work in a locality more than 50 km away from their place of residence. Starting your own business can be supported on the basis of an approved business project by receiving a one-off unemployment benefits or providing a lump sum for starting a business as a micro-enterprise, which this year is already up to 4000 BGN. In both measures, funds can be provided for other start-up services.

For more information and assistance, you can call the phones of the Counsultancy Center for Disadvantaged People in Berkovitsa 0953 89137 and 0890943741.

18.02.2020

 

INDIVIDUALS AND LEGAL ENTITIES CAN APPLY FOR PROJECTS UNDER TRANSNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP PROCEDURES AT OP HRD

 

Individuals and legal entities and their associations may apply with project proposals under the Transnational Partnerships procedure of the Operational Program "Human Resources Development". Applicants must be involved in a partnership with at least one partner from another EU Member State. The total budget of the procedure is over BGN 15 million.

The aim of the operation is to improve interregional and transnational cooperation between partners from EU Member States through the transfer and introduction of social innovations, good practices, partnership approaches to finding common solutions, building specific partnership skills, etc. The exchanges between partners should be in the areas of the labor market and quality of jobs, social inclusion and combating poverty, health, equal opportunities and non-discrimination, working conditions or administrative capacity building in these areas.

Obligatory project activities should be the organization of seminars, workshops and trainings to encourage the exchange of experience, information, good practices and innovative approaches. The project should increase the capacity of partners and stakeholders to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate good practices and innovative approaches. Applicants should also include in their activities the adaptation and / or validation of innovative models, practices, services, products from other countries and / or the pilot implementation of innovative approaches and models developed. Projects should assess the feasibility of innovative elements and provide for activities to disseminate the results achieved. Ancillary activities may include the preparation of specific analyzes and studies of the experience of other EU Member States, as well as the establishment and / or incorporation of partner networks and twinning.

The application deadline is May 15, 2020, 5:30 pm.

03.02.2020

 

GRANTS OF THE GIVE EUR-HOPE ASSOCIATION FOR POVERTY AND SOCIAL EXCLUSION

 

The Association GIVE EUR-HOPE (GEH) is always prepared to examine requests for financial support submitted by communities or local associations for the completion of microprojects working to combat poverty and social exclusion. GIVE EUR-HOPE is also ready to study such requests when they are submitted by NGOs or those representing these communities, provided that there are guarantees that they correspond to the real needs and wishes of the communities themselves. 

Given its limited human and financial resources, GIVE EUR-HOPE has had to define the scope of its interventions and has, therefore, set out intervention criteria, which should really be consulted before submission of a request for financial support.
GIVE EUR-HOPE has prepared a memorandum for projects proposal  to help those wishing to submit a project.  This sets out the information required for the analysis of any request.  It is important to include with any submission verifiable references which would ideally be given by several reliable organisations.

On their receipt by the Association,  all requests are examined and analysed.  This may take several weeks depending on the applicant being able to reply to any requests for additional information.

Projects supported by GEH aim to contribute to combating poverty and social exclusion.  They cover principally:

• the construction / renovation of homes and sheltered housing;
• the setting up of basic health facilities (dispensaries in underprivileged areas, nurses/street nurses);
• training people on citizenship issues, by informing them about their rights as citizens and imparting the skills required to exercise these rights (literacy support, language classes);
• initiatives in the socio-cultural field, intended to encourage the sharing of knowledge, including through artistic expression;

the setting up or support of professional development and tutorial networks.

28.01.2020

 

TAILORING COMPANIES ARE FIGHTING FOR HR

 

Managers of 9 Montana sewing companies demand before the Regional Education Department and the Regional Governor the Vocational High School for Light Industry to retain the class " Production of textile clothing". This was announced by Maya Grigorova, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce in the regional city.

According to the Labor Office, 1,200 people were employed in the sewing industry in the Montana District in 2019. 15 years ago, their number was over 3,000. Traded firms say the decline in employment is due to labor shortages rather than fewer orders. Tailors and builders are constantly on the job market, informs Svetla Uzunova, director of Labor Office -Montana. They then start further vocational trainings. The industry envisages the need for new 180 employees. According to the employers, in the plan for the 2020-2021 it is imperative to preserve the lesson on "Production of textile clothing". The high school is the only one that trains the sewing industry, and this year's admission did not take place. “It is very important to feed the local economy against the background of the demographic collapse,” says Maya Grigorova. Thus, there is a big gap between the needs of business and education. Practice shows that students from Vocational High School for Light Industry are trained mainly as beauticians, hairdressers and manicurists. The school had trained teachers in modeling and clothing production.

20.01.2020

 

WHAT WORKERS ARE EMPLOYERS SEEKING IN MONTANA

 

The Montana Labor Office announced job vacancies throughout the municipality and which are the most sought after Montana bosses. It is clear from the vacancy requirements that employers have reduced their claims to candidates. Only 5 of the ads are for higher education professionals. Mostly people with secondary education and experience are recruited.

Detailed information about each of the positions can be obtained from the city directorate, and here are the available places:

 

2 Kitchen Assistant - Secondary Education

2 Dishwasher manual - basic education

2 Waiter - secondary education with experience

2 Chef - Secondary education, experienced

1 General worker - secondary / primary education

1 Group teacher - 5-7 grade - higher education-general subject

2 Installer, Complex / Combined Products - Secondary Education, Building Furnishings, Experience 2 years.

1 teacher for grades 1-4 - higher education

1 Waiter - secondary education

1 Barman - Secondary Education

2 Snack and beverage vendor - 10th grade, secondary education

2 Worker, breakfast production - elementary - 10th grade, secondary education

2 Snack and beverage vendor - primary - 10th grade, secondary education

2 Security Operator - Secondary Education, Primary Computer Literacy

2 Guardian - Secondary Education, cat.C

1 Single Bucket Excavator - Secondary Education, Excavator Management Document

1 Bulldozer Driver - Secondary Education, Bulldozer Management Document

1 Technical Manager, Construction - Secondary Education, Experienced

2 General worker / technician - no education

1 Pastry Master - Secondary Education, Experience

1 Breakfast vendor - secondary education

1 Fadromist - secondary education, certificate of competency

1 Machinist, one-bucket excavator - secondary education, certificate of competence

1 Operator, machine for cutting rock materials - secondary education

3 Machine operator MM universal / rotary lathe / - secondary technical education, experience

1 Installer heating facilities - Secondary Education

1 Power Equipment Regulator Worker - Secondary Education

1 Sales Consultant - Secondary Education and Computer Literacy

1 Electrical engineer, industrial enterprise - secondary education, experience

1 Sales consultant - secondary education with experience

1 Sales consultant - secondary education

2 Guard - Secondary Education, cat. B and C.

9 Automotive Component Manufacturing Operator - Primary Education

1 Electrical Engineer - Secondary education, PC for operation with voltage up to 1000V

1 Sinker - secondary education

3 Search Engine, Forms & Castings - Secondary Education

2 Foundry - Secondary Education

1 Installer, metal products - secondary education, cat.B

1 Welder - Secondary Education, cat.B

1 School Bus Driver - Secondary Education, Cat.D, 2 years' experience

3 Reinforcer - Secondary / Primary education, experienced

4 Mason - secondary / elementary education with experience

1 Guard - Secondary Education, Weapon Permit, Cat.В

1 Electrical Engineer - secondary education with experience

1 Operational Accountant - Secondary education, work with accounting products

6 Poultry breeder - no education

1 Excavator - primary, secondary education, qualifications of road construction machinery

2 Road construction machinist - secondary education, RCM qualification, experienced

5 Dump Truck Driver - Secondary Education, Cat.C, with Experience

1 Welder - secondary education, document arc welding, experience

1 Auto Engineer - secondary technical education with experience

2 Transportation Engineering Technician - Higher / Secondary Education Transportation Engineering, with experience and cat.B

1 Road Construction Engineer - Higher Education, Road Construction, Experienced, AUTOCAD and Cat.B

1 Credit Advisor - Secondary Education

1 Mechanic - secondary technical education with experience

1 Auto Engineer - secondary technical education with experience

1 Accountant - Higher, Secondary Education - Economics

1 Landscaping Technician - Secondary Education, Experience

2 Auto Engineer - secondary, basic education, technical skills

1 Car Service Worker - Secondary Education

1 Hairdresser - a document for the hairdresser

1 Cosmetician - a document for a cosmetician

1 Breeder - no education

1 Business consultant - higher education, English, computer literacy, experience

4 Machine Operator / Test Table KCS / - Secondary education, 1 year experience with TELC Labor Expert Medical Commission

4 Senior installer, production control / KCS / - secondary education, 1 year experience with TELC

1 Operator, Production Control / Packaging / - Secondary education, 1 year experience with TELC

1 Driller - secondary technical education.

15.01.2020

 

INFORMATION ON CURRENT AND FUTURE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

 

At the beginning of 2020, it continues the reception of applications from parents under the project Parents in Employment, from employees under the project "Vouchers for Employees" and requests from employers under the project "New Opportunity for Youth Employment" under the Operational Program "Human Development" resources ”2014-2020.

 

PROJECT "NEW OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH EMPLOYMENT"

The project enables employers to hire young people up to the age of 29 incl. in two full-time directions:

• Internship of 6 months duration: The employer or an employee appointed by him / her acts as a mentor to the youth employed under the scheme. The aim is to maximize the acquisition of practical skills in the acquired profession or specialty within the internship;
• On-the-job training of up to 6 months duration: During the work process, training of the employee in a particular profession or specialty is carried out, for which purpose the employer or a designated employee is supposed to fulfill the role of a mentor of those involved On-the-job training young.

Real-sector employers can apply for the project; municipalities and municipal enterprises; bodies of the central administration of the executive power and their territorial structures with the exception of the regional administrations.

Employers can apply for job openings for young people with registration at the Labor Office Directorates throughout the country until financial resources are exhausted. The received applications are processed in the order of their submission.

Detailed information about the project can be found on the website of the Employment Agency.

 

PARENTS IN EMPLOYMENT PROJECT

The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund of the European Union through the Human Resources Development Operational Program 2014-2020 and helps parents to better reconcile work with personal life. At the same time, it provides employment opportunities for unemployed childcare workers.

The babysitter service is provided under the project for:

• Provision of childcare for children / children from 0 to 5 years old (incl.), Non-visiting nurseries, institutions and pre-school groups, for employed and unemployed parents (care is allowed up to 8 hours a day). Parents should have a secured employment position or as self-employed / self-insured persons, but should not return to work until they have been approved by the Employment Agency for inclusion in the project.
• Provision of care for children from 0 to 12 years old, attending day nurseries and institutions, as well as at school, for unemployed and employed large children (including single) parents / mothers, and care is allowed up to 4 hours a day). For the purposes of the procedure, large parents are those who have three or more children under the age of 12.

The maximum period for receiving the babysitter service is up to 18 months or up to 5 or 12 years for the child / children.

Parents who are not employed or self-employed (ie unemployed persons registered with the Labor Offices) will be involved in employment mediation activities for up to 4 months. If after the 4-month period has expired, the parent (s) have not started work, the childcare (s) will be terminated.

Applications are accepted personally by parents at all labor offices in the country on weekdays, between 8.30am and 5.00pm or submitted by email: roditeli-v-zaetost@az.government.bg (scanned with signature or electronically signed) - until the financial resources of the project are exhausted.

 

VOUCHERS FOR EMPLOYEES  PROJECT

The project provides an opportunity for employees to acquire new or expand their knowledge and skills by acquiring professional qualifications and key competences in accordance with current business needs.

During the current admission, employees of an employment contract in enterprises outside the state administration who are:

- having acquired a secondary or lower education (without age limitation);

- over 54 (over 55) with higher education.

Those wishing to participate in the project have the opportunity to undergo vocational training and / or training for the acquisition of key competences with vouchers in accordance with Decree No 280/2015. Key competence training can be foreign language communication - KC 2 or digital competence - KC 4.

he project also changes the planned co-financing by the trainees, with the new admission amounting to 50% of the value of the voucher. This will lead to greater engagement on the part of individuals regarding the quality of training and will create the preconditions for shared responsibility between them and the training institution for better results. Employees' own investment is expected to increase their motivation to successfully complete the course. The project grant will be 50% of the value of the voucher.

In this case, the employees can submit their applications only on working days between 08:30 and 17:00, both electronically and in paper form, in person at all labor offices in the country.

The deadline for accepting applications is until the financial resources are exhausted.

Detailed information on the project "Vouchers for employees" and a sample application form can be found on the website of the Employment Agency.

17.12.2019

 

AGENCY FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ANNOUNCES COMPETITION FOR FINANCING OF PROJECTS FOR REHABILITATION AND INTEGRATION OF DISABLED PEOPLE

 

Agency for People with Disabilities (APD) announces competition for financing projects for the rehabilitation and integration of people with disabilities.

 

Participants in the competition may be non-governmental organizations of and for persons with disabilities registered under the Law on Non-Profit Legal Entities for Performing Public Beneficial Activities, as well as nationally represented organizations of persons with disabilities registered under the Cooperatives Act.

 

The projects are prepared according to the Methodology for financing projects for rehabilitation and integration of people with disabilities (Methodology) of the Agency for People with Disabilities on the grounds of Art. 10, para. 3, item 8 of the Disabled Persons Act, approved by the Executive Director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities, by Order No. 0023 - 2513/11.06.2019.

 

The maximum subsidy amount is set for the various components as follows:

 

for component 1 - up to BGN 16,000

 

for component 2 - up to BGN 18000

 

for component 3 - up to BGN 4,000

 

for component 4 - up to BGN 7,000

 

The competition documentation can be found on the Agency's website: http://ahu.mlsp.government.bg/, section "Projects / Programs", option "Rehabilitation and Integration".

 

The deadline for submission of projects is 5.30 pm on 17.02.2020.

 

The required documents are presented in a systematic and consistent manner, whether on paper or in electronic form. The tender proposal, including the documents under Art. 28., para 1 of the Methodology shall be submitted with a cover letter in one of the following ways:

 

1. At the Agency for People with Disabilities, Sofia 1233, Sofronii Vrachanski Str., 104-106. Documents shall be submitted in electronic form (signed and scanned) or in paper form, accompanied by an electronic version of the same documents;

 

2. By a licensed postal operator with a return receipt with a postmark or by courier, no later than the specified deadline for submission of the projects for the competition, in electronic form (signed and scanned) or in paper form, accompanied by electronic version of the same documents;

 

3. By electronic means in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Electronic Document and Electronic Certification Services Act or signed and scanned at the specified email address: ahu_npo@mlsp.government.bg.

 

Immediately after the submission of the project proposal, each applicant is required to request from the APD an entry number, which has entered the project proposal in the records system, no later than the deadline for submission of project proposals. The received entry number proves that the project proposal has been submitted on time.

 

Phones for reference: 02/931 80 95, 02 832 90 73.

03.12.2019

 

WHO ARE THE RESERVES ON THE LABOR MARKET?

People with disabilities are one of the big reserves in the labor market, but they remain unused, experts comment

 

The labor market in Bulgaria has at least three large reserves, among which are the disabled. This was said at a press conference by the director of the Balkan Institute of Labor and Social Policy Ivan Neykov. The event was on the occasion of International Day of People with Disabilities - December 3.

In most developed European countries, employment among people with disabilities is around 60 per cent, and in Bulgaria this figure is only 31 per cent. Experts believe that this percentage is actually even lower - 10-15 percent, said Elka Todorova, chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Federation of Employers of disabled people. 

Experts point out that if earlier the topic of the labor market was that we could not find skilled workers, the problem today is that there are no more workers. At the same time, we are in a "we gas in water, we go thirsty" situation because we do not use the reserves, among which are disabled people. 

All the analyzes show that people with disabilities are good workers, they have much less turnover, they are more attached to the enterprise, which has made an effort to adapt their jobs. They are loyal and skilled workers. Employers say it is expensive to adapt one workplace, while at the same time only BGN 500,000 of the over BGN 4 million allocated for this year were used. 

Experts believe there is a lack of information on job adaptation opportunities, as well as information on how new technologies make it possible to use remote work. More and more consumers, especially those in the young group, tend to buy goods made by people with disabilities, goods with a cause.

Currently, there are around 2000 people employed in the specialized enterprises of and for people with disabilities in the country, before 1989 their number exceeded 55 000 people. Undoubtedly small and medium-sized enterprises have huge untapped potential for providing employment for people with disabilities, said Elka Todorova, Yordan Dimitrov - consultant of the National Federation of Employers of disabled people and psychologist Margarita Bakracheva. 

Almost half a year after the introduction of the new quota principle for the employment of persons with permanent disabilities in enterprises, there has been an increase in the employment of this group of unemployed - according to the information of the Ministry of Social Affairs over 12,000 people with disabilities have been employed in the first 9 months of this year, registered with the Labor Offices. For the same period in 2018, they were only 6 831. Twice the number of jobs offered this year is 2 446 by the end of September this year, compared to 1 258 for the whole of the previous year. According to experts, the additional employment for people with permanent disability affects mainly the registered unemployed, and there is no work yet to attract inactive people with disabilities - a group with huge potential for the labor market in Bulgaria. 

The General Labor Inspectorate inspects more than 880 enterprises to comply with the quotas for hiring workers and employees with disabilities. In the first three months of actually applying quotas, 110 companies refused to fulfill their obligations under the Disabled Persons Act and paid compensation for 549 vacancies. A total of BGN 92 244 was received from fines in the budget. 

According to experts from the National Federation of Disabled Employers, the Horizons Association and the Balkan Institute of Labor and Social Policy, specialized enterprises are one of the solutions to the problem of high unemployment among people with disabilities. Equally promising are the Centers for Protected Employment, regulated by the Disabled Persons Act. Each of the future centers will employ at least 15 people with at least two types of permanent disabilities, each leading to at least 50 percent reduced working capacity.

For the first time this year, the Agency for People with Disabilities has provided BGN 600 thousand for two pilot centers for sheltered employment, and one project for BGN 263 thousand has been approved for funding. The center created with this money will be in the form of an experienced garden for labor rehabilitation and integration in Bozhurishte. 

Under the project "Innovative Integrated Supported Employment Services for Persons with Disabilities" under the HRD OP, specialized enterprises have in recent years introduced new services and industries other than traditional activities such as tailoring.