From September 1, administrative liability for employers for refusing to hire persons sent by employment agencies to vacancies will be abolished. This is stated in the presidential decree of August 4 on measures to improve the system of labor relations and professional training, as well as incentives for employers.

Exisiting problems

The Ministry of Employment and Labor Relations said that there were a number of problems in the area.

These include the gap between professional education and the demand for labor. 45% of employers reported a shortage of skilled labour.

In addition, there is no reliable information about vacancies in the country. Employers face difficulties in recruiting personnel, and job seekers - in finding employment. The Unified National Labor System (UNLS) has posted 100 thousand vacancies, while in reality there are 2-3 times more.

The lack of reliable information does not allow to determine the real demand for blue-collar jobs and ensure their professional training.

Previously, the current regulation has failed to not encourage employers to post information about vacancies, as it required mandatory justification for refusing to hire a referred candidate. In the absence of such justification, employers could be subject to penalties.

With the adoption of the presidential decree, from September 1, the following will be canceled:

• prosecution for refusing to hire candidates referred by employment centers;
• obligation to submit reports on vacant jobs.

"We are canceling administrative liability for failure to post information about vacancies and creating an electronic intermediary platform managed by a special team. This will allow employers to receive only relevant candidates without the risk of fines," the Ministry of Employment said.

At the first stage, the platform will be implemented in Tashkent, with subsequent distribution throughout the country.

The platform will allow:

• employers send information about vacancies;
• individuals searching for jobs to post their CVs;
• the ministry's specialists shall make a preliminary selection and offer employers the most suitable candidates;
• the employer contacts the applicant, conducts an interview and makes a decision independently.

Revision of quotas for socially vulnerable categories of the population

As the Ministry of Employment stressed, the second key area of the labor policy reform will be the revision of quotas for jobs for socially vulnerable groups of the population.

According to current legislation, enterprises with more than 20 employees are required to reserve at least 7% of jobs for categories such as, the disabled. For example, with 30 employees, an enterprise must reserve 2 places.

According to the decree, from November 1, the threshold for participation in the quota program shall increase:

• from now on, the measure shall apply only to firms with more than 100 employees;
• the quota size is reduced to 3% of the total number of employees.

In addition, the composition of socially vulnerable categories entitled to employment within the quota, as well as the procedure for sending people to such jobs, has been revised. From now on, when considering new candidates, the quota already occupied will be taken into account, which will ensure a more rational and fair distribution of jobs.

“If an employer has already hired someone, for example, two persons with disabilities, this will be taken into account within the quota. We will not send new employees in excess of the established volume,” the Ministry of Employment noted.

Job centers will send individuals to these jobs through a queue, taking into account the proximity of residence and the current employment of socially vulnerable persons in a firm.

Entrepreneurs will form quotas for the admission of:

• persons with disabilities;
• persons who have suffered from family (domestic) violence;
• members of families from the Register of Poor Families;
• orphans;
• persons deprived of parental care.

Budget-financed organizations and enterprises with a government stake of more than 50% will form mandatory reserves of jobs for:

• persons with disabilities;
• victims of family (domestic) violence;
• members of families from the Register of Poor Families;
• orphans;
• persons deprived of parental care;
• released from correctional institutions;
• victims of human trafficking.

The quota will not exceed 7% of the total number of employees. The standard applies to government organizations with more than 20 employees.