It no longer will be permitted to make unreasonable demands regarding Russian language skills for employees

RIGA - The Saeima on Thursday approved amendments to the Labor Law in the final reading, stipulating that employees should not be required to know foreign languages unless their knowledge of foreign languages is objectively justified.

The amendments, which parliamentarians have been working on for almost a year, are intended to protect the right of employees to use the national language when performing their duties and not to be discriminated against by unjustified demands for foreign language skills.

The amendments state that knowledge of a foreign language is not considered to be reasonably necessary for the performance of work duties if the work is related to the production of goods, provision of services or other activities in the internal market of Latvia. This provision will be waived if the knowledge of a foreign language is objectively justified for the performance of the work, for example in cases where the performance of the work is related to foreign countries.

The amendments ensure that Latvia, as a member state of the European Union, will not be able to require employees to have a working knowledge of Russian, the authors of the draft law have said, referring also to the current discrimination in the labor market against young people who do not have sufficient knowledge of Russian.

The amendments stipulate that if a job advertisement requires a foreign language, it will also have to include a justification of the need for it. However, the employer will not be allowed to ask about foreign language skills in a job interview if they are not essential for the performance of job duties.

The Committee for Social and Labor Affairs, in cooperation with the responsible ministry and other institutions, plans to soon continue working on issues related to administrative offences for unjustified foreign language requirements, the head of the Committee, Andris Berzins (Greens/Farmers), previously informed.

The amendments to the Labor Law were proposed by the National Alliance.