Latvia: reforms on employment issues discussed in Berlin

Germany appealed to ministers of member states to express their opinions on good work involving the following issues ? fair work remuneration, protection against risks for health at work, rights of employees for protection of their interests, family-friendly work conditions and sufficient amount of working places. In reply to discussion question by the EU Presidency Germany on specific activities for reaching a good aim Latvia proposes to facilitate more actively the social dialogue between both employers and employees and the responsible institutions. Likewise there are foreseen several activities in Latvia in order to ensure employees safe and health-friendly work conditions. For example, it is planned to work out a national action plan in labor protection field, to develop a capacity of the State Labour Inspectorate as well as inform employees and employers about risks of work environment. The Labour Law provides also rather large freedom of action in organization of work time. For example, pregnant women, women at post-natal period, employees with disabled children until age of 14 or disabled children until 16 years of age are entitled to claim for defining of short hours. Moreover Latvia emphasized the necessity to facilitate the state support in order to ensure legal and social security of people during transition among different employment situations and in case of unemployment. Thereby by providing them appropriate and effective employment measures their return to labour market is being facilitated. More info at www.lm.gov.lv