State support for short time workers sought by sanctions group

One of the recommendations that the government sanctions working group has come up with is the introduction of a Czech framework of state support for firms which choose to cut workers’ hours due to a crisis or emergency rather than laying them off, Secretary of State for European Affairs Tomáš Prouza announced. Some of the initial costs for such a mechanism should be covered by European funds and should hopefully be put in place by the start of 2015, according to the head of the Confederation of Industry in the Czech Republic Jaroslav Hanák. Head of the biggest confederation of trades unions, Josef Středula said that such a move had been sought for the last seven years but had been blocked by former centre-right governments. The recommendations will be polished over the next week and should be put to the government by the end of the month.

Author: Chris Johnstone