Prague, Jan 1 (CTK) – The ombudsman will be able to watch whether foreign workers from EU countries are discriminated against over their state citizenship in the Czech Republic under an amendment to the anti-discrimination law which takes effect on Monday.
The ombudsman’s office will also watch the observance of rights of the disabled under the amendment to the Public Protector of Rights law.
The amendment to the anti-discrimination law is based on a European directive.
Due to the belated transposition of the directive in the Czech law, the European Commission announced last February that it would file a complaint about the Czech Republic.
The directive was to be incorporated into national laws by May 2016 at the latest.
The amendment was approved by the parliament last autumn and signed into law by President Milos Zeman in October.
The directive guarantees the right to equal access to employment and social and tax benefits to the foreigners from other EU countries and their family members.
Czechs will have the same rights in other EU countries.
The proposal is to ensure the freedom of movement without any obstacles to all EU citizens.
According to the government, employers do not recognise the previously acquired qualification of foreign workers or that gained in different EU countries or they have excessive demands when it comes to the knowledge of the Czech language.
