Dimitar Apasiev, a Member of Parliament and leader of Levica, has voiced strong concerns regarding the Draft Law on Employment Engagement of Persons, highlighting potential threats and omissions during a public hearing. He specifically criticized the law’s potential for exploitation and its failure to adequately protect workers’ rights.

Apasiev argued that the proposed law is a step backward, creating an ambiguous “employment engagement” category that falls between traditional labor contracts and obligation-based agreements. He believes this ambiguity could be exploited by employers to reduce worker protections and benefits.

He also questioned the law’s focus on manual labor, arguing that it neglects the growing number of young people engaged in intellectual work such as IT and freelancing. Apasiev suggested that the law fails to address the needs of this significant segment of the workforce.

Apasiev refuted claims that the law is intended for the benefit of students, asserting that it limits their options to low-skilled jobs like waiting, cleaning, and babysitting. He further criticized the argument of “labor market flexibility” as a euphemism for cutting workers’ rights, emphasizing the absence of union support for the law. According to him the law is tailored to employers, not workers.

He also raised concerns about the law’s constitutionality, citing the lack of respect for the right to paid leave and the potential for a return to twelve-hour workdays. Additionally, Apasiev pointed out the inadequate protection for minors who may be engaged under the law, as well as the absence of clear procedures for resolving disputes arising from this new type of employment relationship.

Apasiev gave an example of employers potentially firing current employees with indefinite contracts and hiring new ones under the new law, and paying them hourly wages to reduce labor costs. He said that while amendments could improve the law, there is a great risk of gaps that can be abused in practice.