MINSK, 2 March (BelTA) – With a view to protecting the rights of workers and preventing envelope wage payments, the State Control Committee will come up with a mechanism to receive reports about undeclared and under-declared employment, Chairman of the State Control Committee Vasily Gerasimov said on the air of the Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA informs.
According to him, undeclared and under-declared employment is not common in Belarus, but it still takes place. “For example, an advertising company in Bobruisk paid Br1 million in envelope wages to 104 employees over four years. As a result, a criminal case was initiated,” Vasily Gerasimov said citing an example.
The State Control Committee, the Financial Investigations Department, the tax authorities and other departments will continue working to eliminate envelope wage payments. Another option under consideration is to introduce certain penalties for employees who agree to receive envelop wages being fully aware that this is illegal. However, “in order to avoid certain contradictions', there are plans to develop a mechanism to release from responsibility those who reported envelope wage payments.
Sometimes workers face an ultimatum on the part of their employer: either work on these terms, or quit. “Firstly, in this case, people defend themselves. Secondly, every enterprise must have a trade union. The main function of the union is to defend the rights of workers. Thirdly, we will also help, of course. We will think how to implement it. It can be a hotline, or an online platform on our website, where people can submit their complaints and ask for help,” concluded Vasily Gerasimov.
