Social guarantees, shadow employment in focus as Belarus moves to amend labor laws
14.09.2026
MINSK (
BelTA) – The draft law “On Amending Laws on Labor and Related Relations” was considered at a meeting of the expert council under the Council of the Republic on 14 September, BelTA has learned.
“We need the economy to be provided with personnel while at the same time strengthening and developing the social guarantees of our citizens within the framework of labor relations. That is why the draft law is very important and necessary. It was included in the plan for preparing draft laws and was worked out with a very wide range of stakeholders; more than 40 bodies took part in its drafting and coordination. The developer is the Labor and Social Protection Ministry. Amendments are being introduced to 12 laws, and also to 137 articles of the Labor Code. The scale is impressive,” said Natalya Pavlyuchenko, Chairperson of the Standing Commission on Education, Science, Culture and Social Development of the Council of the Republic.
The innovations concern various areas and are linked to the practice of applying legislation. “These include combating shadow employment and strengthening social guarantees, in particular for certain categories of citizens, for example, families raising children with disabilities, and working people with disabilities. Another pressing area is flexible forms of labor relations, which are in great demand today, especially because a new young generation is entering the labor market. The institution of mentorship is spreading widely: experience needs to be passed on, and mentors, in passing on their knowledge, professional skills and competencies, must be interested in doing so. This institution is already developing, and a number of guarantees are being enshrined in collective agreements. But until now there was no term ‘mentorship’ enshrined at the level of a legislative act,” the chairperson of the Standing Commission said.
According to her, there are also other proposals and elaborations that still need to be analyzed together with state bodies. “The draft law is generally supported; it is very important and timely. At present it has already been worked out quite well. But in future, certain individual adjustments and additions will be incorporated into it,” Natalya Pavlyuchenko said.
The draft law amends the Labor Code, the Code on the Judicial System and the Status of Judges, the Code on Education, and the laws “On the Fundamentals of State Social Insurance,” “On Individual (Personalized) Registration in the State Social Insurance System,” “On Employment of the Population,” “On the Status of Military Servicemen,” “On Alternative Service,” “On Enforcement Proceedings,” “On Contributions to the Budget of the State Extra-Budgetary Fund for Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Belarus,” “On Combating Corruption,” “On Public Service,” and “On Amending Laws on Entrepreneurial Activity.”
“We need the economy to be provided with personnel while at the same time strengthening and developing the social guarantees of our citizens within the framework of labor relations. That is why the draft law is very important and necessary. It was included in the plan for preparing draft laws and was worked out with a very wide range of stakeholders; more than 40 bodies took part in its drafting and coordination. The developer is the Labor and Social Protection Ministry. Amendments are being introduced to 12 laws, and also to 137 articles of the Labor Code. The scale is impressive,” said Natalya Pavlyuchenko, Chairperson of the Standing Commission on Education, Science, Culture and Social Development of the Council of the Republic.
The innovations concern various areas and are linked to the practice of applying legislation. “These include combating shadow employment and strengthening social guarantees, in particular for certain categories of citizens, for example, families raising children with disabilities, and working people with disabilities. Another pressing area is flexible forms of labor relations, which are in great demand today, especially because a new young generation is entering the labor market. The institution of mentorship is spreading widely: experience needs to be passed on, and mentors, in passing on their knowledge, professional skills and competencies, must be interested in doing so. This institution is already developing, and a number of guarantees are being enshrined in collective agreements. But until now there was no term ‘mentorship’ enshrined at the level of a legislative act,” the chairperson of the Standing Commission said.
According to her, there are also other proposals and elaborations that still need to be analyzed together with state bodies. “The draft law is generally supported; it is very important and timely. At present it has already been worked out quite well. But in future, certain individual adjustments and additions will be incorporated into it,” Natalya Pavlyuchenko said.
The draft law amends the Labor Code, the Code on the Judicial System and the Status of Judges, the Code on Education, and the laws “On the Fundamentals of State Social Insurance,” “On Individual (Personalized) Registration in the State Social Insurance System,” “On Employment of the Population,” “On the Status of Military Servicemen,” “On Alternative Service,” “On Enforcement Proceedings,” “On Contributions to the Budget of the State Extra-Budgetary Fund for Social Protection of the Population of the Republic of Belarus,” “On Combating Corruption,” “On Public Service,” and “On Amending Laws on Entrepreneurial Activity.”