Note:  The information contained in this article shall not be construed as legal advice.

On Thursday, 16 November, the Government sent for publication a normative act (Emergency Ordinance no. 82/2017, further on referred to as GEO 82/2017) imposing on all employers the obligation to initiate the collective negotiations with their employees with regard to the implementation of the new provisions of the Fiscal Code whereby the social security contributions were transferred from the employers to employees (changes made by GEO no. 79/2017). Obviously, the intent was to find a way in which the employers will be pressured to increase the gross salaries significantly so that the net salaries of the employees are not reduced once the changes to the Fiscal Code become applicable.

The obligation to start collective negotiations applies both if there is no collective labour agreement or collective accord in place, as well as if there is a collective labour agreement or collective accord. In the latter situation, the obligation is to negotiate the conclusion of an addendum to the existing collective labour agreement/accord. Continue reading here.