Georgian Employers Association expresses no remarks to the Bill on Labor Code

The changes to the Labor Code were introduced by the initiators for consideration at the second public meeting.

Yesterday, the meeting was dedicated to the prohibition of labor discrimination, enhancement of rights of women and re-regulation of maternity leaves. The issues were discussed at the round table, attended by the representatives of GEA, Business Ombudsman Office, private sector, NGOs, and women’s organizations.

While discussing the discrimination and maternity leave, Dimitri Tskitishvili noted that equalization of paid maternity leave in the public and private sector is important as in terms of gender equality so in terms of demography and paternal engagement.

"Naturally, some of the companies encourage this process and the paid maternity leave, though the state shall as well be engaged. The business, in this case, will be more flexible and freer to employ women and men equally as maternity leave is no longer to be a burden for the company.”

The GEA representatives and the private sector have no remarks. “This meeting is to be the easiest as we discuss the issues, we all agree on. We need to better clarify the discrimination as it shall not serve as the basis for dismissal. Yet another positive change concerns the maternity leave and allows payment of 70% of the salary by the state and 20% by the employer. As a result, the parents no longer have the sense of losing the profit. Another positive change, which I hail, envisages paternity leave,” noted the Chair of the GEA Legal Committee, Shalva Tskhakaia.

The public meetings aim at reconciliation of the positions of all the actors in this field. As known, the Parliament, backed by ILO, has developed the legal changes envisaging new legal and institutional mechanisms of labor rights protection.

The changes have been developed with the participation of the international and donor organizations, including UNDP, GIZ, ILO, and UNFPA. The changes aim at the improvement of the Labor Code.

A package of legislative reforms has been prepared in the Georgian Parliament with the support of the International Labor Organization (ILO) to establish new legal and institutional frameworks for the protection of labor rights. Many international organizations and donors, including the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the German International Cooperation Society (GIZ), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), are also involved in the preparation of the bill and its public discussions.

The purpose of legislative changes to the Labor Code is to improve labor standards and safeguards, both material and institutional, which will protect people from exploitation and undignified labor.