Riigikogu made amendments to Employment Contracts Act
The Riigikogu passed with 49 votes in favour the Act on Amendments to the Employment Contracts Act (180 SE), initiated by the Legal Affairs Committee. The amendments repeal the amendments to the Employment Contracts Act concerning payment of unemployment insurance benefit to persons who terminate the employment relationship on own initiative or by agreement of the parties, which were due to enter into force on 1 January 2013. The initiator stated that the aim of this Bill is to reduce the differences in the supply and demand of labour force, to reduce the time spent on changing jobs and, together with maintaining employment, to promote the current situation in unemployment insurance where cases of forced unemployment are covered with insurance cover. 43 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Act.
The Resolution on the appointment of members of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Council from among the acknowledged experts in the field of activity of the Estonian Public Broadcasting (227 OE), submitted by the Cultural Affairs Committee, was passed with 49 votes in favour. According to the Resolution, acknowledged experts in this field of activity Mart Luik, Paavo Nõgene, Rain Tamm and Agu Uudelepp were appointed members of the Estonian Public Broadcasting Council. 23 members of the Riigikogu voted against the Resolution and one member abstained.
On the motion of the Constitutional Committee, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to the European Parliament Election Act, the Local Government Council Election Act, the Referendum Act, the Riigikogu Election Act and Other Acts (186 SE), initiated by the same Committee, was concluded. The amendments specify the organisation of electronic voting in elections. As major amendments, the Bill provides the formation of a separate electoral committee for organising electronic voting, the period for electronic voting and the advance polls in polling divisions will be equal, the auditing of the e-voting system is provided at the level of an Act and a voter is given the opportunity to check if the electronic vote given by him or her is correctly forwarded to the system. The Bill also provides the competence of the National Electoral Committee in the event of suspension or termination of or failure to commence electronic voting. The Bill was sent to the second reading.
On the motion of the Finance Committee, the first reading of the Bill on Amendments to § 48 to the Income Tax Act (184 SE), initiated by the Estonian Centre Party Faction, was concluded. The aim of the Bill is to exempt from the fringe benefit tax the expenses incurred by an employer upon covering the expenses of engaging in sports by an employee or public servant which do not exceed the amount of 500 euro per employee or public servant during one calendar year. According to the Bill, the following expenses relating to an employee or public servant are not deemed to be a fringe benefit: expenses relating to the use of sports facilities, the participation fee of recreational and amateur sports events and expenses relating to the organising of sports events. The Bill was sent to the second reading.
The Riigikogu Press Service