On 22 July, the Government approved of the amendments to the Labour Code proposed by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour.
On 22 July, the Government approved of the amendments to the Labour Code proposed by the Ministry of Social Security and Labour. The amendments stipulate that Lithuanian employment agencies acting as intermediaries in finding employment abroad shall provide these services to job seekers free-of-charge as of this October. Thus, job seekers will be created more favourable conditions.
After the law is passed, not only the Lithuanian Labour Exchange and legal entities registered in Lithuania, but also other legal entities or their branches, established in both Lithuania and other European Union Member States, will be able to provide employment intermediation services. Natural persons will also have the right to provide such type of services. They will have to provide the Lithuanian Labour Exchange with the information on their status, activities and employment intermediation services provided to natural persons. The draft also proposes the abolishment of licensing of intermediation activities concerning employment of Lithuanian citizens abroad. However, in accordance with the procedure established by the Lithuanian Labour Exchange, the intermediaries will have to provide information on their status, activities and employment intermediation services provided to natural persons.
The draft has been prepared seeking to implement Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 December 2006 on services in the internal market and International Labour Organisation Convention No. 181 on private employment agencies.
Another proposal concerns stipulating a fine amounting to LTL 1000–3000 for violation of the conditions for the provision of employment intermediation services in the Code of Administrative Law Violations of the Republic of Lithuania.
The amendments will be submitted to the Seimas for deliberation.
Foreign employment agencies will be controlled by the institutions, which have so far been controlling the activities of companies and engaging in prevention of illegal labour: the State Labour Inspectorate, the Financial Crime Investigation Service under the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Lithuania, the State Tax Inspectorate under the Ministry of Finance, the Police Department under the Ministry of the Interior, and the State Social Insurance Fund Board under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour.