President Vladimir Putin has signed the law “On amendments to the Labour code of the Russian Federation” which clarifies the procedure for establishing part-time work, overtime hours and work on weekends and holidays, as well as providing the employee a break for rest.
“Under the agreement of parties the employment contract the employee when to work, and subsequently may establish incomplete working hours (incomplete working day (shift) and (or) incomplete working week, including with the division of working day into parts). Part-time work can be installed without limitation of time, and at any time agreed by the parties of the employment contract period”, — the document says.
The law also provides that if the employee established for the duration of daily work (shift) does not exceed four hours, he might be given a break for rest and food.
The procedure for the payment of overtime. “Work done in excess of working time on weekends and public holidays and paid at a higher rate or compensated by providing another day off in accordance with article 153 of this Code, is not taken into account in determining the length of overtime work, be paid at a higher rate in accordance with the first part of this article”, — the document says.
The payment at higher rate is made to all employees for hours actually worked on a weekend or public holiday. “If on a weekend or a holiday, the day is part of the working day (shift), at a higher rate is paid for hours actually worked on a weekend or holiday day (from 0 hours to 24 hours),” reads the law.
The employer must establish incomplete working day at the request of a pregnant woman, one of the parents (guardian, Trustee) of a child under the age of fourteen (disabled child under eighteen years of age) and persons caring for a sick family member. This incomplete working hours are established for not more than the period of availability specified circumstances.
The law was passed by the Parliament on 7 June and approved by the Federation Council on 14 June 2017.
Improving working conditions and possible reduction of the working day in Russia raised two weeks ago during the St. Petersburg economic forum, Minister of labor and social protection Maxim Topilin. He said that in this century we can expect a considerable reduction in the duration of the working day.
“Let’s see, the nineteenth century — how many people worked? People working 12-14-16 hours a day, it is now the standard of the XX century — 8 hours per day, 40-hour work week, but there are some countries who work less. Maybe in the XXI century will be standard — 4 hours, maybe 5, maybe 6, I don’t know. Maybe someday- two hours all the work, and then go about their business,” the Minister Topilin.
First Deputy Chairman of Bank of Russia Sergey Shvetsov did not rule out that Friday may be a day off in 15 years, linking this with the introduction of robots in manufacturing.
“A very important point, — increase of labour productivity, introduction of robots. I’m sure what’s on the horizon 15 years we will seriously discuss the issue, that Friday should be a day off. Because we are developing a medicine, develops the productivity of labor, and the question arises, what will be occupied all these people,” he said. Shvetsov noted that, if there is a three-day weekend, it will open up new sectors related to the provision of services. He explained that now only 2% of the population feed the other, stressing that in the future this figure will be much less.
First Vice-Premier of Russia Igor Shuvalov on 16 June at X Astana economic forum said that the development of technology can shorten the length of the working week, but should not lead to higher unemployment.
“Technology and the associated productivity growth will not necessarily lead to higher unemployment. It is more likely that, as happened in the XX century, will decrease the duration of the working week — as in material production, and so-called white collar workers who now live in conditions of irregular working week”, — said Shuvalov.
6-hour working day actively practiced in the Swedish companies and tech startups. The CEO of the company Filimundus, which is engaged in mobile application development, Linus Feldt believes that “the 8-hour working day is not as effective as many think”. “Focus on work for eight hours is extremely hard. You have to punctuate work with something for a change. It becomes difficult to deal with personal life, spending time with family”, — said Swedish businessman.