Latest amendments to the Law on Labor Relations aim at protecting the rights of workers and prevent abuse of dismissals, as well as reduce the number of non-registered workers, said Minister of Labor and Social Policy Spiro Ristovski on Tuesday.

"The latest changes, which are up for public debate, represent an effort to correct detected problems. The amendments, coordinated with the trade unions and employers, stipulate there would be no blank notice of dismissal, when employers only added the date. According to the changes, the main text will be unified, but the lower part, where the worker and the employer should sign, is to remain completely empty. They will be obliged to personally write the name, surname, date and place of the employment cessation", said Minister Ristovski.

According to him, this would reduce the possibility of falsifying one's signature, name and surname, or date.

Another significant change is the introduction of fines for non-registered workers.

"An employer will have to pay a fine of EUR 1,000 per person if two non-registered workers are found at the premises. Furthermore, if there are three or more non-registered workers, the facility will be closed immediately. However, the employer will not be able to release the employees while closed, but pay them 70 percent of the last salary during the time of closure", added Mr. Ristovski.