Approximately 6,000 public sector employees are currently hired through temporary contracts, temporary employment arrangements, or other forms of contractual engagement, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski stated today, referring to the number of people affected by the proposed legislation regarding their transition to permanent employment status.

A draft law provides for the conversion of existing contractual arrangements into permanent, indefinite-term employment for individuals working within the institutions covered by the legislation. The draft law establishes specific timelines for the implementation of this process, ensures protection for the individuals involved while the procedure is underway, places restrictions on future contractual engagements, and mandates financial oversight of the entire process. The right to this transition applies to individuals who hold a valid contract on the day the law enters into force and whose contract remains valid at the time the transition takes place. Institutions are required to conclude the employment contracts—or issue the formal employment decisions—within 90 days of the law’s entry into force.

The transition will be carried out in phases: for up to 50 percent of the affected individuals, the contracts or employment decisions will take effect immediately upon signing or issuance, while for the remainder, this will occur no later than December 31, 2027. Excluded from the scope of the proposed law are joint-stock companies, military and civilian personnel serving in the Army under the Ministry of Defence, primary and secondary schools, boarding schools and student dormitories, higher education and scientific institutions, as well as several security institutions.