Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- Improving employment and working conditions of the population in the system of socio-economic relations emerging in the labor market, solving certain problems, preventing labor disputes largely depends on improving legislation in this direction. In Uzbekistan, these relations are regulated by the Labor Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan, as well as the relevant conventions and recommendations of the International Labor Organization (ILO).

In our country, a number of serious changes have taken place in the labor market in recent years, in particular, the number of people employed in labor has increased by 1.5 times (from 8.8 million to 13.5 million), employers - by 4.5 times (from 203.2 thousand to 928.9 thousand). This requires, taking into account the need for active development of the relationship between the employer and employees, to improve the legislation regulating labor relations.

Due to the fact that the current Labor Code does not correspond to modern realities and does not take into account the active development of new various forms of attracting citizens to work, it does not create sufficient conditions for the widespread use of an adapted mode of work that promotes the choice of simple forms of attracting employers to work, including, additional people, the seasonal demand for products, goods and services is currently increasing, then it became necessary to adopt the Labor Code in a new edition.

On 4 September 2020, an expanded meeting of the Committee on Labor and Social Issues was held in the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis together with the Committee on Combating Corruption and Judicial and Legal Issues, dedicated to the discussion of the draft law "On approval of the Labor Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan."

At the meeting with the participation of the deputies of the lower house of parliament, officials of the Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations and media correspondents, the preconditions for the adoption of the new edition of the Labor Code and the expected results from the adoption of the draft law were especially discussed.

As noted, this bill defines the main directions for improving the labor legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the development of reforms carried out in the life of the state and society, the social sphere and the economy, in particular, improving the investment climate.

Along with this, it was stated that the new edition of the Labor Code incorporated such norms as employment, individual labor relations, preparation of workers for the profession, their retraining and advanced training, features of streamlining the work of a certain category of workers, protection of labor rights of workers, consideration of labor disputes ...

“The draft Code in the new edition is important in that it is aimed at regulating individual and related labor relations between workers and employers,” says Odiljon Tadjiev, deputy chairman of the Committee on Labor and Social Issues. - In it, employers can be organizations, regardless of the form of ownership and departmental affiliation, separate structural divisions of organizations, endowed with the right to hire, as well as individuals. The establishment of this rule will lead to an increase in the number of jobs, a decrease in the number of people working in the informal sector, and the constant protection of their rights. At the same time, the document improves some relations related to the conclusion of an employment contract. In particular, the age at which it is allowed to be hired is specified, the categories of persons for whom a preliminary test is not established when hiring are expanded. Also, the right to change working conditions without the consent of the employee is determined when a state of emergency or quarantine measures is declared in a country or region.

It was emphasized at the event that the adoption of the new edition of the Labor Code will serve to balance the interests of employees and employers, taking into account the requirements of a market economy, to attract them to social partnership, to motivate the parties to increase labor productivity. Also, the adoption of this document will serve to introduce labor legislation in the field of small business and individual entrepreneurship, streamline the active development of new forms of attracting citizens to work, bring the provisions of the Labor Code in line with international law, in particular, international treaties ratified by the Republic of Uzbekistan.

At the end of the event, which was held in the spirit of lively discussion, the participants expressed their proposals and recommendations on the draft law.

Following the meeting, an appropriate decision was made regarding the introduction of the draft law "On approval of the Labor Code of the Republic of Uzbekistan" for discussion at the plenary session of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.