But if you add up the number of applications for humanitarian aid in the amount of 5,000 Czech crowns, add to this the data of the VZP insurance company and the number of registered working people, then we will got 230-280 thousand Ukrainian refugees in the Czech Republic.
These are all those who have the official status of temporary protection. Unlike foreigners with a work visa, a person with the status of temporary protection has slightly different rights. What exactly — read on.
What Is Temporary Protection?
Many people equate this concept with refugee status, but this is not correctly. People with Ukrainian citizenship or a residence permit in Ukraine who were forced to leave the country due to Russian armed aggression receive temporary protection.
In essence, this is a permit for legal residence in the Czech Republic, with the right to leave for the homeland. People with temporary protection actually have the same rights as residents (but not the same as Czech citizens). These are the rights to:
- Free access to the labor market.
- Medical Insurance.
- Social Insurance.
- Holidays and sick days.
In addition, if you have a child, he has the right to attend school or kindergarten. Let's consider what temporary protection entails and why it equates its owner with residents of the country.
Work in the Czech Republic Under Temporary Protection
Therefore, the status of temporary protection gives its owner virtually all the same opportunities as a resident of the country. That is, you actually avoid many nuances that non-residents of the country have to consider if they want to get a job here. So, the same labor market rules apply to Ukrainian refugees and residents.
Unlimited Job Search
If foreigners had to obtain special visas or negotiate with agencies, then Ukrainians with temporary protection can independently look for work, just like any average Czech. You can post your CVs or apply for vacancies on the official job search resources:
Also, the jobs4ua.cz resource can be useful for Ukrainian refugees, as well as the resume database from LCwork has many offers from Czech employers in the IT and iGaming fields.
Alternatively, you can register at an employment center or contact an agency. As for an agency, it is worth checking its accreditation on the website.
What are the types of employment contracts?
What to do if you successfully passed the interview and received an offer? The first thing that begins your relationship with an employer is the signing of an employment contract.
It should be noted right away that you cannot work in the Czech Republic without an employment contract. If you work without having any contract signed by you and your employer, then you are working illegally!
Moreover, it is advisable to immediately discuss the terms of this contract with the employer and familiarize yourself with its content before signing it. Therefore, you have the right to take the contract home, order a translation into your native language, show it to lawyers, and only then sign it.
What Types of Employment Agreements Are in Force in the Czech Republic
There are three types of the employment relationships if you are working for someone other than yourself. All of them require the existence of a contract.
PS (Pracovní smlouva)
This is actually an employment contract, which is concluded between the employee and the employer for an indefinite or fixed term (which is specified in the contract). It includes a full social package for the worker: payment of health insurance, sick leave, rate, and salary.
The employment contract can be drawn up full-time (40 working hours per week) or half-time (20 working hours per week).
Attention:
you cannot work more than 40 hours a week under an official contract!
DPP (Dohoda o provedení práce)
This is an agreement on the performance of work that is not considered the main type of income. This type of work has its own points, which are significantly different from a classic employment contract and according to which criteria:
- The maximum volume is 300 hours per calendar year.
- You pay for the insurance yourself.
- There are limits on income from one employer.
That is, DPP is essentially an official part-time job that you can take additionally. It can be seasonal work or short-term projects.
DPČ (Dohoda o pracovní činnosti)
Another type of part-time work that belongs to labor relations is an employment agreement. It can be a certain additional work or as an option before finding a job with a full employment contract. It includes conditions:
- More than 300 hours per year, but no more than 20 hours per week.
- Insurance is paid depending on income (paid after income over 3,500 kroner).
This contract specifies the scope of work and what exactly the worker must do. The contract also specifies regulated deadlines for the performance of work and terms, and the very type of cooperation provides for the collection of a tax of 15% of the amount of your income.
What should be specified in the employment contract
Strictly speaking, no matter what type of contract it is, it should always be stated:
- Date of start of work.
- Type of work.
- Workplace.
Therefore, the contract should always be in writing, and in case of any changes, there should be an appendix in which these changes are immediately indicated.
And of course, the probationary period. If it is not specified in the contract, then it does not exist. As a rule, the trial period lasts no longer than 3 months. Interestingly, in the case of a trial period, the employment relationship can be terminated even without specifying the reason.
What About Salaries?
The amount of the salary may be indicated in the contract or on a separate application (in this case, the amount of the salary may change, which the employer is not obliged to notify). The salary itself consists of two parts: net and gross salary.
Accrued salary (Hrubá mzda)
This is the amount of your gross salary before taxes such as Social Security and Medicare are deducted from it. In the Czech Republic, there is such a scheme that the employer pays most of these taxes, and the employee pays a smaller part.
For example, according to the contract, 13.5% of your salary will be deducted for health insurance. You pay 6.5% of them, and the rest is paid by the employer. It's the same with Social Security, but it goes to 31.5% of your salary.
Net salary (Čistá mzda)
This is the net salary that you will receive after all taxes, social security payments, and insurance. Today, the net minimum wage is 16,200 Czech crowns per month (that's about $640).
As in any other country, the salary level depends on the region of the country and the job position.
How Labor Relations Are Terminated in the Czech Republic
Another advantage of formal employment is that termination of employment cannot happen spontaneously. You can't tell an employee "You're fired!" and on the same day deprive him of his job. Termination of employment occurs in a clearly regulated sequence:
- The agreement on the termination of employment relations is always concluded in writing.
- A reason must always be given.
- The agreement enters into force on the day of signing.
- The release document must be delivered to the other party.
- The term of termination of the employment contract is two calendar months.
That is, no one can fire you, as they say, "on equal footing", and even if you were fired, you will have time to find a new job.
The Czech labor market is attractive due to its clear system and protection of workers and employers. Especially if you work on equal terms with residents, and have the same access to insurance, sick pay, holidays, and even tax discounts (if you qualify for these discounts).
The status of temporary protection provides just such a carte blanche for those who were forced to seek refuge from Russian aggression in the Czech Republic.