Government planning to give employers greater flexibility in hiring and firing employees

Economic advisers to the government and employers' representatives are proposing radical changes to the Labour Code. They argue that in many ways the present Labour Code does not reflect the needs of the evolving market and companies, and are urging greater flexibility in hiring and firing employees, including possible dismissal without cause. Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura is in favour of such a change, arguing that with record-low unemployment there is no reason not to loosen the relationship between employee and the employer. According to Novinky.cz the Ministry of Labour is already preparing an amendment to the code, and is considering not only termination of unemployment without cause, but also shortening the two-month notice period to one month or extending the three-month probationary period. Unions are vehemently against the proposed changes.