At the session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, scheduled for 11 and 12 March, four important legislative proposals from the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy will be on the agenda. These laws regulate areas related to the labour market, employment, social security and the protection of vulnerable population groups.
Representatives will consider the Draft Law on Employment Mediation and Social Security of Unemployed Persons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on the Employment of Foreigners, as well as amendments to the Law on Unified Principles and the Framework of Material Support for Persons with Disabilities, and amendments to the Law on Foster Care in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Draft Law on Employment Mediation and Social Security of Unemployed Persons represents one of the key elements of labour market reform in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This law regulates the principles and system of employment mediation, the status of unemployed persons, their rights and obligations regarding material and social security, as well as the organization and financing of public employment services. Its aim is to improve the efficiency of the employment system, more precisely, define unemployment registers and ensure that active labour market policy measures are directed towards persons who are genuinely active in the labour market.
Alongside this law, representatives will also consider amendments to the Law on the Employment of Foreigners in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The proposed amendments aim to simplify and accelerate administrative procedures for issuing work permits to foreign nationals, while maintaining the priority of employing the domestic workforce. This approach seeks to respond to labour market needs, particularly in sectors facing labour shortages.
In the field of social protection, representatives will also consider amendments to the Law on Unified Principles and the Framework of Material Support for Persons with Disabilities, aimed at further improving the support system for persons with disabilities and strengthening the principles of equality and fairness in exercising rights. In particular, the amendments abolish the mandatory medical reassessment at the age of 15 for children and extend it until the age of majority.
Amendments to the Law on Foster Care in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will also be considered. These amendments aim to improve the foster care system, strengthen support for foster families and further regulate the conditions for the development of foster care as one of the most appropriate forms of protection for children without parental care who require a family environment.
The Federal Minister of Labour and Social Policy, Adnan Delić, emphasised that these laws represent an important step in the modernization of the labour and social protection system in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Before the representatives are laws that directly affect the everyday lives of people. The laws concern job seekers, employers in need of labour, foster families caring for children without parental care, as well as persons with disabilities who must have a stable and fair support system. The two laws in the field of the labour market pave the way for a more efficient labour market, while the other two contribute to a fairer system of social protection. Together, they create a legislative framework that responds to the real needs of society,” said Minister Delić.
The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Policy expects a constructive parliamentary debate and support for the proposed laws, which are the result of extensive consultations, public discussions and cooperation with social partners, the professional community and civil society organisations.
