Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Unemployment Provision Convention, 1934 (No. 44) - Bulgaria (Ratification: 1949)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Repetition

Article 10(1) of the Convention. Concept of suitable employment. The Committee notes that suitable employment is defined by the national legislation as employment corresponding to the training, qualifications and state of health of the insured person, and situated in the same locality or up to 30 kilometres from the insured person’s place of residence, on condition that there are adequate public transport facilities. In view of the fact that the Convention defines suitable employment essentially by reference to rates of pay (previous wages or typical wages for the occupation), the Committee requests the Government to explain the reasons for the absence of a criterion taking into account rates of pay in the definition of suitable employment.

Loss of unemployment benefit if an offer of suitable employment is refused. The Committee notes that, under section 20(4)(4) and (5) of the Act on employment promotion, an insured person who refuses an offer of suitable employment shall lose his right to unemployment benefit and shall only qualify again for unemployment benefit after a period of 12 months from the date on which he or she was disqualified. It also notes that the minimum period for the payment of unemployment benefit is four months for any person who has completed three years of service and the maximum period is 12 months for a person who has been insured for more than 25 years. The Committee draws the Government’s attention to the fact that the 12-month disqualification period appears disproportionate to the minimum period of unemployment benefit payments and may cause hardship for the persons concerned.