Parliament to outlaw age limit in employment as discrimination

The House of Representatives is reportedly discussing amendments to the Labor Code. The first reading of the bill is said to be underway at the moment.

The Labor Code was adopted 14 years ago, and it has not changed over the last 5 years. This year’s amendments will affect 170 of its provisions.

In particular, it is proposed to abolish the use of mandatory travel documents, to prohibit discrimination in employment on the basis of age or place of residence, to enforce the priority of the interests of the employer when scheduling vacations, to expand part-time work opportunities, as well as to enhance the rights of parents to receive assistance and a leave to care for a child up to 3 years, and others.

Today, one can often see job ads seeking for workers, e.g. between 25 and 40 years. How will the rule prohibiting age discrimination work?

Mariana Shchapiotkina, the Minister of Labor and Social Protection, told the MPs when attending the parliamentary session, “If a person sees that the employer refuses to hire him or her because of age, let them immediately go to court. The corresponding amendment to the law treats it as discrimination. The law will also consider as violation job advertisements indicating the age limits.”