Trade unions to challenge modification of procedure for paying sickness benefits

The trade unions intend to dispute the Government’s decision to modify the procedure for paying sickness benefits in the Constitutional Court. In a communiqué, the National Confederation of Trade Unions of Moldova says that it is categorically against the made amendments, especially as regards the payment of the first sick leave day by the employee, Info-Prim Neo reports. “We understand that the authorities aim to cut the budgetary costs, but not at such a price,” said the Confederation’s chairman Oleg Budza. The unionists will call on the lawmakers to ask the Constitutional Court to pronounce on the constitutionality of these changes. In order to reduce the public spending on sick pays, the Government approved a decision, providing that the first sick leave day is paid by the employee, the second by the employer, while the next from the state social insurance budget. The decision came into force on July 1. Under the amendments, in 2012 the employers will pay for three sick leave days – the second, third and fourth, while the benefit for the fifth and next days will be paid from the state social insurance budget. As a result of the given amendments, the savings next year will be about 72.7 million lei.