Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140) - Czechia (Ratification: 1993)

Formulation and application of a policy designed to promote the granting of paid educational leave. The Committee notes the Government’s report received in September 2013 which includes information in reply to the 2011 direct request. The Government indicates that the Czech-Moravian Confederation of Trade Unions (CMKOS) provided useful information on the application of the Convention in practice which was included in the report. The Committee notes that the proportion of collective agreements with specific provisions concerning time off for the purposes of union activities, including attending courses organized by trade unions, increased from 33.9 per cent in 2007 to 50.9 per cent in 2012 in the private sector, and 15.4 per cent in 2007 to 33.4 per cent in 2012 in the public sector (public services and administration). Moreover, the proportion of collective agreements that include specific provisions concerning other professional development of staff increased from 26.4 per cent in 2009 to 33 per cent in 2012 in the private sector, and 48.5 per cent in 2007 to 61.4 per cent in 2012 in the public sector (public services and administration). The Government reports that more detailed analysis shows that employers provide paid educational leave in terms of both institutional (that is to say, studying in order to achieve a higher level of education) and other education (that is to say, participation in seminars, conferences, etc.) relevant to the needs of the employer or necessary for the proper performance of the agreed work. The Committee invites the Government to provide, in its next report, an evaluation of its policy designed to promote the granting of paid educational leave (Article 2 of the Convention). It also invites the Government to provide examples on how social dialogue is used in the formulation and application of the policy for the promotion of paid educational leave (Article 6). Please also continue to provide general information on the manner in which the Convention is applied in practice, including extracts from reports, studies and inquiries, and available statistics on the number of workers granted paid educational leave (Part V of the report form).