Skopje, 5 May 2023 (MIA) — The proposed changes to the Labor Relations Law, which the government fast-tracked in a European-flag-marked package with other draft amendments to the country's laws to accelerate the construction of Corridors 8 and 10d, specify that to ensure project continuity, overtime may exceed eight hours per week and 190 hours per year, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Policy Enver Husejin told a press conference Friday.

However, Husejin said, overtime did not mean a 60-hour work week. "Work over 40 hours per week will be considered and paid as overtime," he said, adding that "provisions for daily and weekly rest will be observed."

"This means that workers will have the right to rest at least 12 hours between two consecutive days," he said, adding that workers also would "have the right to a weekly rest of at least 24 continuous hours plus 12 hours of daily rest."

Work on Sundays, Husejin said, would be paid according to the amendment related to projects of national and strategic interest. He stressed that no workers would be exploited during the construction of Corridors 8 and 10d and their rights would be guaranteed by law.

"This is about overtime work, and overtime work has always existed in construction, especially regarding [projects of] national interest.

"Overtime does not mean 60 hours a week. It also does not mean there will be overtime all year long. Work will depend on the weather conditions," Husejin said, adding that construction workers would put in more hours during the warmer months.

Workers, he pointed out, were protected by the Labor Relations Law, and each overtime hour would be paid 35 percent according to the law and their collective agreement.

Also, workers would give written consent if they wanted to work overtime. If they did not want to, he said, they would not be forced to work overtime.

According to the law, workers would also have a day off, the deputy labor minister said. mr/