LAW

Employers will spend 15 days in custody

State Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, has approved a law on criminal prosecution of employers who fire near-pensioners (people who have five or less years before retirement) or refuse to hire them, Russian news agency reports.

Vladimir Astapkovitch | RIAN

Under the new pension law, the retirement age is 55 for women and 60 for men. The bill was initiated by the president and is intended to protect the rights of the aged people who will now be unable to retire at 55/60 because of the government proposed pension reform.

Employers will not be imprisoned for firing people nearing retirement. Under the bill, they may be fined for up to RUR 200K ($3K) and subjected to compulsory community service of up to 360 hours (15 days).

Many expert and business communities’ representatives fear the law may produce a negative effect as companies will start firing employees before they reach a pre-retirement age.

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