Forced labor is prohibited by law and is not practiced. The minimum legal working age is 15 years. The law is effectively enforced by the Labor Inspectorate of the Ministry of Social Affairs. There is no legislated national minimum wage. Instead, nationwide collective bargaining agreements set minimums by job classification for each industry.
Every worker is entitled to a variety of generous social benefits.
The average citizen has a high standard of living, and even the minimum wages are sufficient to permit a decent living for workers and their families. Extensive legislation, regularly enforced by the Labor Inspectorate of the Ministry of Social Affairs, provides for mandatory occupational health and safety standards. Workers may file complaints anonymously with the Labor Inspectorate, which may bring suit against the employer on behalf of the employee, but this option is rarely exercised, as workers normally rely instead on the Chambers of Labor, which file suits on their behalf. Return to 1996 Human Rights Practices report home page. Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links does not imply endorsement of contents.