From now on, teachers' medical examination fees will be covered by the state budget.

As is known, every year the question of whether teachers' medical examinations are paid or free becomes a topic of discussion. In many cases, teachers are charged money for medical examinations. Teachers who know their rights well complain to the relevant organizations. However, even this did not yield sufficient results.

Therefore, a draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers aimed at improving the procedure for conducting mandatory medical examinations of teachers has been developed. This was reported by the press service of the Ministry of Health.

According to the draft document, pedagogical workers working in all state and non-state educational organizations of Uzbekistan will be required to undergo an annual periodic medical examination. This requirement is aimed at regular monitoring of the health of teachers working in schools, kindergartens, and other educational organizations.

The document provides for another important norm. According to it, the medical examination of teachers who directly educate and raise children in state educational organizations is covered by the state budget. That is, teachers and educators working in state educational organizations will not have to pay for mandatory medical examinations from their own pockets.

The teacher will undergo an examination at the designated medical institution, and the fee for the service will be covered from the state budget. This norm is expected to prevent cases of collecting money from teachers for medical examinations in practice.

Medical examinations of teachers working in non-state educational organizations are carried out at the expense of the relevant organization's own funds. In this case, examinations are conducted by licensed state or non-state medical institutions.

The project also assigns the responsibility for organizing mandatory medical examinations of teachers to the employer. When a teacher undergoes a medical examination, their place of work and position are retained, and their average salary is paid.

What does the legislation say about this?

Article 501 of the Labor Code stipulates that pedagogical and other employees of general secondary education organizations, preschool educational organizations, and other organizations directly involved in the education or upbringing of children undergo mandatory preliminary (upon hiring) and periodic (during work) medical examinations in the manner approved by the Ministry of Health.

Pedagogical staff are required to undergo a mandatory medical examination once a year. Articles 6 and 14 of the Law on the Status of Teachers state that teachers can undergo mandatory medical examinations free of charge in state healthcare institutions.

Until now, teachers have been undergoing medical examinations in accordance with the Regulation "On the Procedure for Conducting Medical Examinations of Employees," approved by Order No. 200 of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan dated July 10, 2012.

In this case, the employer, i.e., the director, together with the territorial SEO and the school trade union committee, compiles a list of employees who are required to undergo a medical examination by December 1 of each calendar year (usually at the beginning of the academic year) and submits it to the medical and preventive institution conducting the medical examination. Employees undergo a medical examination based on the submitted list.

According to Article 360 of the Labor Code and the Law on the Status of a Teacher, employees are not required to undergo mandatory medical examinations. During mandatory medical examinations, the employee's place of work (position) and average salary are retained.

What types of examinations are teachers involved in during medical examinations?

During medical examinations, teachers working in educational institutions are required to be examined by therapists, dermatovenerologists, and gynecologists, and during laboratory tests, fluorography, fecal analysis for helminths, gonococcal examination, and blood test for RW are required.

The head of the medical and preventive institution conducting the medical examination is responsible for the quality of the medical examination.

Employers are responsible for the timely passage of mandatory medical examinations by their employees and for the harmful consequences caused to the health of citizens as a result of the employment of persons who have not undergone mandatory medical examinations.