Can teachers who have entered a new job, returned from a decree leave, or are on leave also receive remuneration?

It is known that employees of general education institutions, including managers, can be rewarded in the amount of up to 50 percent of the minimum wage in connection with October 1 - Teachers and Mentors Day.

However, many appeals have been received regarding the non-payment of this remuneration to teachers who have just joined a job in some educational institutions, returned from a decree vacation, or are on leave. Taking these appeals into account, we would like to inform you that:

Article 252 of the Labor Code stipulates that an incentive reward not provided for in the payment system is a one-time monetary reward, which is paid by the employer's decision not for the employee's achievement of predetermined indicators and conditions, but in connection with certain events, namely anniversaries, holidays, etc.

According to Article 246 of the Labor Code, systems of additional payments and allowances of a stimulating nature, as well as systems of remuneration, are determined by collective agreements, collective agreements, as well as internal documents adopted by the employer in agreement with the trade union committee, an employment contract in accordance with labor legislation.

If such provisions are not provided for in collective agreements, collective agreement, as well as in internal documents adopted by the employer in agreement with the trade union committee, remuneration may also be paid to employees who have returned from a decree leave, entered a new job or are on leave.

The Regulation "On the Procedure for Establishing a Director's Fund for Stimulating Excellent Employees of General Education Institutions and Using Its Funds" also does not contain a restriction on the non-awarding of teachers who have recently joined the workforce, returned from a decree leave, or are on leave.

Also, Article 13 of the law on the status of a teacher provides for the possibility of determining other types of material incentives for teachers of state educational organizations at the expense of budgetary and extra-budgetary funds in accordance with the current legislation.

According to Article 501 of the Labor Code, educational organizations have the right to independently determine differentiated allowances to official salaries and apply various forms of remuneration and stimulation of labor within the available funds for wages.

Therefore, we believe that teachers who have entered a new job, returned from leave, or are on leave can be rewarded.

Note: If the employee received disciplinary punishment, incentive measures, including remuneration not included in the payment system and not based on labor results (holidays, including in connection with professional holidays, anniversaries, etc.), are not applied to the employee within the period of the disciplinary punishment.