Employment Relations
Archived material. The previously published examples below retain 2020 amounts and references to the former Labour Code. They do not confirm the current legal position. Law No. ZRU–798 of 28 October 2022 approving the new Labour Code.
Practical Examples
1. Question: A woman identified as A. said that her husband had worked in the Russian Federation for several years and asked whether overseas work counts towards service for pension purposes.
Answer: From 1 January 2021, people temporarily working abroad through organized labour migration may voluntarily pay social tax to the Pension Fund to accrue pension entitlements and service. For 2020, the minimum was set at 50 percent of the base calculation unit (UZS 111,500). Citizens temporarily working abroad who do not need pension entitlements or service in Uzbekistan do not need to pay social tax to the Pension Fund.
2. Question: K. previously worked as an engineer in a construction company and has been unemployed for nine months following its liquidation. He asked about recognition as unemployed and unemployment benefits.
Answer: K. must apply to the local labour authority for employment assistance and be registered as a jobseeker. If no suitable work is offered in the first ten days, or the organization to which he was referred refuses employment, the local authority issues an unemployment recognition order by the eleventh day after registration, stating the benefit amount and accrual date. Since K. lost his employment and earnings within the previous twelve months, the benefit is 50 percent of his previous average monthly earnings, no less than the minimum wage and no more than the average wage in Uzbekistan at the time of calculation.
3. Question: T. said that 70 percent of his wages had been deducted the previous month under a court decision imposing an administrative fine and asked whether this was lawful.
Answer: Total deductions from each wage payment must not exceed 50 percent. This restriction does not apply to deductions for maintenance arrears from the wages of an employee sentenced to correctional labour. In such cases, deductions for the sentence and maintenance arrears must not exceed 70 percent.
4. Question: When applying for another job, J. was told to provide a reference from his previous employer or he would not be hired. Was this lawful?
Answer: He may be asked for a passport or equivalent document, an employment record book, a military ID or military registration certificate and, where necessary, an education document. Additional documents may not be demanded. Requiring a reference from the previous employer is therefore contrary to the law.
5. Question: While Sh. was on annual leave, his manager demanded his immediate return to work and threatened dismissal. Was this lawful?
Answer: An employee may be recalled from leave only with their consent. Demanding an immediate return under threat of dismissal is therefore contrary to the law.
Source on Unemployment Benefits
Former Labour Code: Deductions
