Page 29 - RusRPTJuly18

4.5 Labour and income
4.5.1 Labour market, unemployment dynamics
Unemployment remains at record low levels and fell slightly n May to 4.7% from 4.9% a month earier.
The Investigative Committee of Russia (SKR) is preparing amendments to existing laws punishing the non-payment of wages to employees in order to fight wage arrears. The SKR wants to introduce changes that would make it possible to hold managers, not just legal owners, responsible for withholding salary payments. But the changes would include an exemption for those who pay off wage arrears. RUB26bn rubles (almost $420mn) in wages were held in arrears in 2017. There were 517,000 recorded criminal instances of non-payments with the Labour Ministry. Wage arrears cases are a huge issue for Russia's small and medium-sized businesses. Wage arrears lawsuits are a useful tactic to raid assets from bankrupt businessmen in a conflict. Lawsuits can be launched immediately once a wage payment is delayed. Boris Titov, the Presidential Commissioner for Entrepreneurs' Rights, estimates only about 15% of cases even make it to court. Businessmen have little outlet to legally defend themselves given the present law and proposed changes. The new reforms will only further unsettle businesses since they'll have to hope that local prosecutors do not abuse their power.
Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova said that in Russia, about 50% of the unemployed are young people between the ages of 20 and 34 , reports Interfax. "48.7% of the total unemployment are people of this age," Golikova said at a briefing in the government.
RUSSIA Country Report July 2018 www.intellinews.com