Ordinary downsizing is fundamentally different from a complete liquidation of a company.

According to 1prof.by, terminating a pregnant woman's employment due to a reduction in staff or workforce size in Belarus is illegal – the employer has no right to do so.

As union lawyer Natalia Matveeva explains, ordinary downsizing is fundamentally different from a full liquidation of a company (when everyone is fired). In a downsizing, the employer only parting with a portion of the workforce, but the law strictly protects certain categories of employees.

According to Part 3 of Article 268 of the Labor Code, termination due to downsizing is prohibited in relation to:

• pregnant women;
• mothers raising children under 3 years old;
• single parents with children under 14 years old;
• single parents raising a disabled child up to 18 years old.

What to do if your rights are violated?

If you are being downsized in violation of the law, do not sign agreements and immediately seek protection from the union or file a lawsuit in court.