PM Dancila: Gov't to approve Emergency Ordinance offsetting wage difference for IT professionals, disabled persons, others

The government will approve on Thursday, by Emergency Ordinance, a set of measures to maintain the net monthly income at least at the level of December 2017 for IT, R & D and innovation professionals, seasonal workers, severely disabled employees and part-time employees, said Premier Viorica Dancila. 

"Certain issues emerged following the recent debates on the effects of the Wage Law and of the switch of contributions from the employer to the employee. Where such issues have been identified, we have immediately called for offset measures so that no social or professional category stands to lose. Today we will adopt a set of measures aimed at keeping the net monthly income at least at the level of December 2017 for private sector employees who are subject to income tax break. We have four categories, specifically IT, R & D and innovation professionals, seasonal workers and employees with severe or significant disabilities, for whom the state will take over the partial coverage of the social health insurance contribution through a simplified mechanism. This facility is aimed at the employees whose employers have not managed to keep salaries at the level of December 2017 and who have not diminished total personnel expenses compared to the previous month," Dancila said at the opening of the government meeting. 

According to the prime minister, another provision of the emergency ordinance submitted for approval to the Executive's Thursday meeting ensures "at least the same net income for both public and private employees working part-time." 

Dancila added that another measure of the GEO is aimed at "the unemployed and the other categories of employees who are on sick leave and collect social health insurance benefits, for whom the reference for the calculation of social contributions will be reduced from 35 percent of the gross average wage, according to the number of sick leave working days, to the actual income." 

The PM stressed that the government will make sure in the next period "that the Uniform Wage Law achieves its goal, that of bringing order and fairness into the pay system". 

"On the other hand, I would like to publicly call on government members and media representatives, trade unions, employers' organisations and all the other categories involved in these debates to show openness and accountability in public communication. It is my belief that we are all pursuing the same goal," Dancila said.

AGERPRES