Published on April 7, 2011
Czech ombudsman wants MPs to make eight changes to laws
Czech ombudsman Pavel Varvarovsky has recommended to lawmakers to make eight changes to laws or directives that are to help the unemployed, orphans and mental hospital inmates, among others, he told journalists today.
His predecessor, the late Otakar Motejl, made two to three-times more recommendations every year, but deputies usually complied with few of them only.
Varvarovsky, who became ombudsman last September, said he reduced the number of proposals to those he considers of fundamental importance only.
He said the latest amendment to the employment law negates the sense and purpose of severance pay.
Under the amendment, a person who is entitled to a severance pay does not receive the unemployment benefit right after the loss of employment.
The amendment ignores the situation where the person does not get the severance, which happens in cases where he/she resigned from the job because the employer did not pay him/her the due wage.
"It is naive to believe that someone who does not pay out the wage for half a year will pay out the severance sum," Varvarovsky said.
He also proposed that clear criteria for using restricting means in psychiatric clinics be defined.
Varvarovsky called on lawmakers to pass legislation giving title to orphan's pension even to the children whose parents did not pay pension insurance for the required period.
He also proposed that the smallest municipalities be not obliged to care for public roads because they do not have people for this agenda that is very complicated.
Brno, April 7 (CTK) – ms/dr/pv