Wednesday, April 15, 2026

Headlines

labor market

The reality of the labor market in Latvia: signs of systemic discrimination based on age and qualifications

Despite the growing number of job advertisements and publicly offered bonuses, the actual situation in the labor market in Latvia indicates significant structural problems. The results of the conducted study point to possible systematic discrimination against highly qualified specialists, particularly in the 40 to 50 age group. In both the public administration and the private sector, there are signs that may indicate a merely formal selection process […]

There is chaos in the labor market even though unemployment has reached its lowest levels

A typical information technology innovation creates new jobs for IT sector employees, but someone else on the other side of the city loses their job, influence, or half of their income – accountants, taxi drivers, journalists. With generative AI it is different. Since it is based on text, it naturally affects professions that are based on language – programmers, journalists, and lawyers. Also in this case, journalists are […]

Freedom by overworking and growth in drama

It is 2018, 10:30 p.m. A bottle of wine in my left hand. A box of tissues in my right. Feverish after a 15-hour workday, yet feeling lighter than I had in years – both literally and figuratively. For the first time in many years, I wasn’t carrying a laptop. It was my last day in the United Kingdom before moving back to Riga. Two thoughts were running through my head: 1. This is […]

The Singularity of Middle Management

The world of artificial intelligence is currently neatly split into two sects. Any resemblance to the Bible is, of course, beyond your correspondent’s competence – but I still cannot resist them. One sect is waiting for the Messiah. Pardon me – AGI or superintelligence. This congregation is small but well funded; its gospel is the spreadsheet, and its hymns are sung at investor presentations. With sacred […]

Stricter control will be imposed on the employment of third-country nationals

Observing what is happening in other European countries, the Ministry of the Interior has put forward several proposals on how to limit illegal immigration. One of them will make it more difficult for dishonest entrepreneurs to illegally employ third-country nationals – the person will be monitored, not the company. The current procedure stipulates that if a company commits violations in the field of employing foreigners, the ban on inviting third-country nationals to work is imposed on that specific company. […]

The State Revenue Service catches an envelope wage payer red-handed

A criminal proceeding has been initiated in the State Revenue Service Tax and Customs Police Department regarding the payment of “envelope” wages in a company engaged in the installation, maintenance, and repair of ventilation and air-conditioning equipment. During carefully planned operational activities, the payment of “envelope” wages was stopped precisely at the moment they were being paid. The total amount of unpaid personal income tax and mandatory state social insurance contributions will still be clarified […]

Construction workers want a higher minimum wage – 1155 euros

The Latvian Construction Sector Trade Union wants to increase the minimum wage in the sector by 10% – to 1,155.64 euros per month. The minimum wage set by law in the country is 740 euros per month. The trade union reminds that currently the minimum wage in the construction sector is determined by a general agreement that has been in force since 2019. At present, the general agreement stipulates a monthly minimum wage of 1,050 euros and an hourly rate of 6.29 […]

Accenture and Linde Gas – the fairest payers of remuneration in Latvia

The fairest remuneration in the small and medium-sized enterprise category is paid by Linde Gas, while in the large enterprise category it is paid by Accenture’s Latvian branch, according to the remuneration research and management consulting company Figure Baltic Advisory. The authors of the study point out that this year there has again been fierce competition, confirming that employers are paying increasing attention to fair remuneration. Several organizations rank among the payers of the fairest remuneration […]

An employee will be able to leave without notice if the salary is delayed by two weeks: severance pay will have to be paid

An employee whose salary payment is delayed by at least two weeks will be able to terminate the employment contract immediately with the right to receive severance pay, according to amendments to the Labour Law that have reached the Cabinet of Ministers. Although the amendments still have to be examined by the Saeima, this is one of the planned changes on which there is conditional consensus, namely, both trade union representatives and employers have managed to agree on it […]

Process over everything: after year-long discussions, the ministry submits a different draft law version for consideration

For almost a year, ministries and social partners discussed amendments to the Labour Law, but the Ministry of Welfare is bringing to the government meeting a previously unseen version of the draft law. For almost a year, ministries and social partners gathered in the Human Capital Development Council (CAP) to agree on amendments to the Labour Law. A compromise agreement was reached, but the Minister of Welfare Reinis Uzulnieks (ZZS) has submitted a completely different, previously […] for consideration by the Cabinet of Ministers (MK).