The Czech Parliament voted on a battery of the most recent changes to the Labour Code (Act 262/2006) which allow, among other, the so-called “chaining” of employment contracts, or which shortens the mandatory period of continuous rest between two working shifts from 12 to 11 hours.
The “chaining” regulates repetitive conclusions of short-term or definite-term employment contracts and allows such practice in case of serious operational reasons on the part of the employer, or in cases directly tied to the special nature of the work performed, where it cannot be justifiably required that the employees who carry out such specific jobs are offered indefinite term employment contracts. This means that in these cases (affecting for instance seasonal workers) the Section 39(2) of the Labour Code will not apply. This Section limits the possibility of concluding the same agreement, for up to three years, between identical parties to no more than twice.
Shortening period of mandatory rest between two shifts to 11 hours from original twelve (refer to Sec 90 if the Labour Code) does not affect employees younger than 18.
The Amendment will not be presented for signature by the President and will come into force on the first day of the second month after its promulgation in the Collection of Laws.