Constitutional Court to rule on deductions from social benefits for unpaid fines

Czech Constitutional Court will rule on deductions from social benefits for unpaid fines. It will announce Wednesday its decision on a proposal by a group of senators to abolish certain provisions in the Law on Assistance in Material Need and the Law on Certain Misdemeanors. These provisions allow authorities to deduct unpaid fines for selected misdemeanors from social benefits. Senators argue that such deductions affect not only the offender but also other household members, constituting an impermissible collective punishment. The law enables deductions from social benefits, such as the subsistence allowance and housing supplement, to cover unpaid fines for offenses like disturbing public order or neglecting compulsory school attendance. However, the law ensures that if there are dependent children in the household, the benefit cannot fall below their minimum subsistence level.