Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140) - Serbia (Ratification: 2000)

Granting of paid educational leave. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2013 and notes the observations made by the Union of Employers of Serbia, the Confederation of Autonomous Trade Unions of Serbia (CATUS) and the Labour Union Confederation “Nezavisnost”. In its report, the Government included extracts of various collective agreements that provide that employees are entitled and required to undergo continuing education, training and development. The Committee notes that most of these collective agreements contain provisions that specify that the costs of continuing education, training and development shall be met by the institution and may also be obtained from other sources, pursuant to curricula for the continuing education, training and development of employees of the institution. The Union of Employers of Serbia indicates that the Labour Code stipulates that the number of days of paid leave should be regulated in the general act and in the employment contract. In its observations, the CATUS stresses that training and education are to be delivered and organized during working hours. The “Nezavisnost” points out that certain employers (especially in the private sector) do not allow union members to take paid educational leave when taking part in educational programmes offered by unions. The Committee invites the Government to provide updated information on the collective agreements and other measures that apply to the Convention (Article 5). Please describe the manner in which employers’ and workers’ organizations are involved in the formulation and application of the policy for the promotion of paid educational leave (Article 6).

Policy for the promotion of paid educational leave. The Government reiterates that the labour law requires employers to allow paid leave for education and allows them to govern this area through general enactments (collective agreements or regulations) or employment contracts. The “Nezavisnost” points out that each employer is free to choose whether to record statistics on the number of employees granted paid educational leave and that such statistics are not available at any higher level (that is, local or national). The Committee refers to its previous comments and invites the Government to indicate in its next report how its policy to promote the granting of paid educational leave for the purposes specified in the Convention has been formulated and coordinated with general policies on employment, education and training, and hours of work (Articles 2, 3 and 4). Please also include extracts of reports, studies or inquiries relating to the practical application of the Convention, and any available statistics on the number of workers granted paid educational leave (Part V of the report form).