The amendments introduced into Georgian Labour code will be covering various issues that are determined by the EU Directives. Those issues include:
· Prohibition of direct and indirect discrimination, the list of grounds for discrimination will be extended, principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment - provision on equal pay for equal work will introduced.
· Working time regulation (including weekly rest time, overtime), which implies obligation of the employer to inform employee of the employment relationship, regulation of the duration of periods of night work, night workers right to free health examination, break time during working hours for pregnant workers in order to attend examinations etc.;
· Part-time and fixed-term work, measures to facilitate access to part-time work at all levels of the enterprise, equal rights and opportunities for part-time and fixed-time workers;
· Duration of labour contracts and determination of essential terms
· Guarantees for employees in case of collective redundancies, consultations between parties, safeguarding of employees' rights during the transfer of undertakings etc.
· Higher standards of maternity leave and introducing paternity and parental leave and others.’
· Information and consultation of employees, practical arrangements for information etc.
TSPC
Tripartism in Georgia is in process of the development and the Government of Georgia continues its efforts to develop social dialogue in order to bring it to highest level of compliance with international labour standards. As previously stated, Tripartite Social Partnership (TSPC) was set up in 2013 and since then there have been 6 meetings at the national level (May 1, 2014; April 11, 2016, February 10, 2017, April 19, 2018, September 7, 2018 and November 1, 2019).
The working group under TSPC is operational aiming to discuss issues related to the labour and employment and holding number of meetings during a year (6 meetings in 2019).
Development of Social Partnership at the regional level is one of the priorities of GoG. To this end, based on the decision made at the TSPC meeting (February 10, 2017) Tripartite Social Partnership Commission of Autonomous Republic of Adjara was set up. In 2019, 3 meetings of Tripartite Social Partnership Commission of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara were held in Batumi. Commission adopted an action plan 2019-2020 and established a working group.
In cooperation with the ILO, strengthening capacity of the Tripartite Commission and its Secretariat is constantly ongoing, which will make the work of the Commission effective and will also influence positive outcomes of the social dialogue.
Labour Mediation
The labour mediation system in Georgia was introduced in 2013 when the Georgian Labour Code was amended. Since then there have been 52 labour disputes, mediators have been appointed in all cases. Majority of labour disputes were fully resolved. In all cases, mediators were appointed based on the request of one of the parties.
The Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affairs of Georgia constantly works on development of labour mediation mechanism in Georgia.
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