“Better to be closed quickly than to continue the agony”
The business fails to comply with the decree of Putin about the pay. The employees are laid off and go on vacation
Business in Russia is difficult to tolerate non-operation, announced by President Vladimir Putin before the end of April to prevent the spread of the coronavirus (in Russia — more than 4 thousand cases of infection in the world — more than 1 million). Znak.com received a large number of complaints against employers that are in violation of the decree of the head of state does not maintain the salaries of employees and suggest they go to underpaid holiday or to retire. But it is not the greed of businessmen. Public organization of small and medium business “OPORA Russia” receives hundreds of requests from entrepreneurs whose business was in a desperate situation: the speed dropped so that the money for required payments just yet. The government is discussing additional benefits for business, but when a decision is made about this, is still unknown.
“Viral Union” and the statement merchandisers
That up to 30 April extended the restrictive measures to counter the spread of the coronavirus, Vladimir Putin has declared yesterday, during his address to the nation. In the evening in a social network “Vkontakte” in group “Viral” Union issued a statement allegedly on behalf of merchandisers Danone, Ferrero, Nestlé, Pepsico, Philip Morris, Lina, who complain of working conditions.
“Our companies are using loopholes in labor laws, refuse to give us paid days off.
They refuse to transfer us to remote work, referring to the fact that we are working for the organization providing the population with food. Most of the products produced by our companies, is not vital: it is juices, chips, candy, yogurt with flavors. Goods that really should be done in the period of the spread of coronavirus infection, is not more than 5% of the total volume of production”, — stated in the message, the authorship of which is not specified. It also says that merchandisers are allegedly not provided with means of protection. Administrators of the group “Union Virus” messages Znak.com also not answered.
Znak.com send requests to companies to which claims were made. “Our company always acts solely in the framework of the legislation of the Russian Federation. Today, in the most difficult circumstances, we have provided the residents of the country with quality and healthy food necessary for a healthy daily diet. Milk, sour cream, kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese, baby food — we have no right today to prevent the extinction of these necessary foods from the shops. We and our contractor are now doing everything possible to ensure that the store was food and our customers were able to find it on the shelf,” — said in Danone.
Jaromir Novels / Znak.com
The company also said that Danone provides “the best, safest possible working conditions for all employees.” “Despite the catastrophic situation in the country with personal protection equipment, we were able to provide our field staff with masks, gloves and sanitizers. In addition, we conduct educational work, and constantly remind employees about the basic rules of hygiene necessary to prevent the spread of the virus, the importance of keeping your distance,” — said the company.
In Danone also drew attention to their doubts about the statements published in social networks, “Viral of the Union”.
“About the you Union, we do not believe that behind it are real employees and not someone trying to use the difficult situation in the country in their own interests”, — concluded at Danone.
No recorded violations are not reported in the Ferrero group, in a press-service “Ferrero Russia” said that the company complies with all recommendations of the group and “clearly complies with all the requirements and recommendations of” authorities, “to guarantee continuity of work and to organize the delivery of products, providing the level of security required in connection with the changing situation.” According to the decree of the President of the Russian Federation, CJSC “Ferrero Russia” is included in the list of organizations that provide people with food and Essentials. She also included in the list of strategic organizations of the Vladimir region (there is a company of the group).
We will remind, Vladimir Putin first addressed the nation on the situation with coronavirus March 25, then he announced the week with pay and recommended that the Russians to stay home. The business was then promised support, including deferred loan payments and rent. Yesterday Putin announced the extension of opening hours until 30 April.
“There are people who are afraid of the Prosecutor’s office, but now it’s still pay nothing”
Meanwhile, over the past two days Znak.com received over a dozen messages with complaints against employers, who, instead of nonworking days with pay offered to employees to go on unpaid leave.
This situation is in the network of jewelry stores Sunlight, said one of the sellers.
“We verbally told in connection with the difficult situation in the company to write applications for unpaid leave first for one week, and then — immediately to April 30. Who will write — that will freeze on the cards a salary for March”, — she told.
Agreed to unpaid leave in the company promised a return to jobs after the lifting of restrictions. According to the saleswoman, she was the only one from their town who had not yet signed the statement. “I’m raising a child alone, I have credit. I went to the Bank with a request to reduce the monthly payment. But first we need a certificate stating that I have decreased the revenue by the employer. Such a help to me in the company did not provide, saying that all went to the quarantine. Labor inspection I also no documents can not provide, because all the orders had been given in oral form,” said the girl. According to her, a few days ago in the comments to the posts Sunlight in Instagram many have written about this problem, but now comments are closed. Informed that the management of the network makes employees to go on unpaid leave, wrote “MBH media”. Now online and in social networks jewellery network reported that the ornaments can be ordered online, but the request Znak.com the company did not respond.
Restaurants and cafes are trying to refocus on the work take-out and delivery, but it does not protect against a serious decline in abortuaries Novels / Znak.com
Cook from Ekaterinburg Vitaly Petrov, working in the restaurant’s “Mommy”, said that “sitting at home with no money” — he was not paid vacation pay in the accounting Department explained that the revenue is now small, there is no money. Difficult situation, according to him and other employees. “Before the change went six chefs, is now one” — he added.
However, in the preparation of this text output Petrov received. In “Mamula” commented on a situation so: “today, when all catering establishments are closed, but have the opportunity to work for delivery or pickup, a restaurant at the airport Koltsovo (where working as a cook. — Znak.com) do not have this capability. The number of flights reduced as much as possible, and passenger traffic is almost zero, respectively, and no one to sell food from a takeaway”. The restaurant also said that in February this year, Petrov was dismissed from the restaurant, but did not pass the security check at the new job, and then “Mom” took him back. “It is doubly frustrating when such a hard time [when] the team needs to be cohesive and to be a team, some employees come into confrontation with the employer, although their rights are not violated. Unfortunately, to see the true face of man only in a difficult situation”, — concluded in the company.
Meanwhile, in most of the cases analysed Znak.com the employees agree to all the conditions of the employer in the hope to survive together in difficult times and retain at least some workplace.
“The boss forces everyone to work, but so that nobody knew. On the gate hangs the announcement that we are closed, but we are there groups missing and we are working.
Then the wild unemployment, salary 15-25 thousand us, so there’s that. It is therefore very hold the place of the whole team,” — says the employee of one of Krasnoyarsk factories.
“All my friends send their employees without pay. We first stayed, but next week is also asking people to go on vacation with an open date. There are people who are afraid of the Prosecutor’s office, but now it’s still pay nothing,” says the entrepreneur from Ufa, working in several areas of work, including that he is a dealer of mobile operators.
A businessman from Yekaterinburg that is associated with the development, said that “he is the airbag for about three months.” “So much time I am willing to pay a salary to its employees, subject, of course, that they will work at least remotely. But if the situation drags on, will have to break up”, — he admitted.
“Received hundreds of calls from entrepreneurs”
The Ministry of industry and trade on 27 March addressed to the Chairman of the government Mikhail Mishustin with a request to introduce additional measures of support of business, as the fall in trade turnover, public catering and consumer services made at the time about 80%. According to the Ministry, it was reduced about 20% of the staff. Including proposed limit of 8% maximum rate of credit for food service establishments and points of non-food trade, to provide holidays on payment of interest repayment of main debt and the implementation of covenants on loan contracts.
The public organization of small and medium entrepreneurship “OPORA Russia” since the announcement of the week “received hundreds of calls from entrepreneurs from all over Russia, whose business was in a desperate situation,” said the organization’s President Alexander Kalinin. “In some cases it is better to be closed quickly than to continue the agony” — he said. Now, he said, “Support of Russia” works with the Russian government, at the authorities to introduce additional benefits for business. However, according to him, decisions on some of them, such as property tax, is the prerogative of the regional authorities.
Although the “Support of Russia” commits a serious fall in revenue in some areas where it is impossible to organize the work online, like cinemas and sports clubs, Kalinin says that some support measures have already started to work. For example, employers can arrange interest-free loans to pay salaries for up to six months.
Legal tools for business during a pandemic
“In a situation with the spread of coronavirus and understandable desire of the authorities to provide the people with an income during an outbreak, the most vulnerable employers. It is now clear that many subjects of small and average business hardly will be able to “survive” in the conditions created. In this regard, the burden of payment of wages to employees for business becomes unsustainable, although most employers try to keep the team,” — says the partner of the bar Association Pen & Paper practice head on special assignments Catherine Thrust.
According to her, the situation is complicated by the fact that Russian law provides for various types of legal liability of the employer for violation of labor rights of workers — from wage recovery and compensation of moral harm in a judicial order and ending the criminal responsibility of the leaders.
“However, the labour legislation provides a number of tools now available to employers in financial difficulties. First of all, the Labour code provides workers and employers relative freedom in certain spheres of labor relations in case, if both the subject of labour rights solve the problems by mutual consent.
So, if the worker agrees, it may decrease his salary by signing an additional agreement to the employment contract.
It should be understood that the reduction in wages should result and the reduction of working time,” said Thrust.
Also often the system worker’s pay includes bonuses, the payment of which is often a right and not an obligation of the employer, the lawyer. In this case, according to her, it is necessary to examine the employment contract of the employee and, if possible, to reduce premium payments at the time of the epidemic.
Another option legal cost reduction the employer may be simple. “Labor laws allows employee to transfer not conditional on the employment contract work less payment for up to one month, if there are reasons of economic, technological, technical or organizational nature. Probably pandemic coronavirus can be considered one of those reasons,” she concluded.
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