With the arrival of 2025, several major innovations will come into force, which will mainly affect employment relations, but also, for example, criminal law. However, the adoption of some of them has been delayed a bit, so we will probably not see them until spring – see what’s ahead.
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At the end of 2024, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs came up with an amendment to the Labour Code aimed at increasing its flexibility for the benefit of both employees and employers. The amendment is intended to facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life, reduce the administrative burden and support the further development of digitalisation in the public administration.
The changes were supposed to take effect from 1 January 2025, but this so-called flexinovela was not included for discussion until the 119th session of the Chamber of Deputies, which took place on 19 November 2024. Due to this delay, the planned effective date of 1 January 2025 will be postponed, probably until spring 2025. Nevertheless, let us take a look at the main proposed changes, which are no longer expected to be major changes.
Among the more pleasant (and already approved) innovations will be more flexible working hours. Employees will be able to schedule their own working hours in agreement with their employer. This innovation is mainly intended to contribute to a better work-life balance. At the moment, self-scheduling is only possible in the home office, but the amendment to the Labour Code will allow employees to do so in the workplace. More news is likely to come in the spring.
The future amendment will also affect daily rest periods, which can be reduced to 6 hours. However, employers will only be able to do so in the event of emergencies and emergency situations. The rest must then be made up the next day.
The possibility of extending the probationary period will also be envisaged. Currently, ordinary employees have a probationary period of 3 months and managers up to 6 months. The amendment to the Labour Code will extend the probationary period for ordinary employees to 4 months and for managers to 8 months. However, this extension will not be compulsory and the employer can stay with the current 3 and 6 months respectively.
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The following news is sure to please all parents. Employees who return from parental leave before their child reaches the age of two will be entitled to return to the same position from which they left on maternity or parental leave. Employees on parental leave will also now be able to earn extra money by working for their employer in the same type of job, for example on a temporary or permanent contract.
Employees’ working life will also be made easier by the fact that the notice period will start immediately. Previously, it only started on the 1st of the month following the month in which you gave notice. However, it will now start from the day you give your notice.
Children will be able to take holiday jobs from the age of 14. Teenagers aged 14 and over will now be able to earn extra money during the summer holidays on a full-time or part-time basis. Working hours will be limited to 7 hours per day and the consent of legal guardians will be required. The types of work will be authorised by a decree of the Ministry of Health.
Registered partners, in turn, will have the same entitlement to work-related obstacles on the employee’s side as spouses. Thus, they will be able to use work restrictions for family reasons, such as weddings, funerals and the like.
Among the already approved innovations in the field of labour law, we can also mention that the employer will be able to pay wages in another currency if the Czech National Bank has this currency in its exchange rate list. The wage slip can be delivered by internal electronic systems and the employee will have to confirm its receipt. The minimum wage will be based on the average wage in the national economy, making it more predictable. Employers will also no longer pay severance pay on termination of employment due to work-related injury, but instead compensation will be paid by the employer’s insurance company.
The planned amendment to the Income Tax Act is expected to bring changes to the taxation of cryptocurrencies from 2025. The amendment introduces two new possibilities for tax exemption of cryptocurrency income: firstly, a value limit where annual cryptocurrency income does not exceed CZK 100,000 and secondly, an extended time test to three years (compared to the current lack of such exemption). In addition, the definitions of cryptoassets are clarified and the obligations for their registration are extended to match international standards. These changes are intended to simplify tax obligations and make the rules clearer for investors and entrepreneurs
This year, the House also approved a new gun law that tightens gun purchases and shortens the time for gun owners to undergo a medical fitness check. Previously, gun licence holders had to undergo a medical check-up every ten years, but now they will have one after five years, and police can order one at any time. The gun law also newly orders gun and ammunition dealers to report suspicious purchases.
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The Ministry of Justice is also currently preparing an amendment to the Criminal Code with the aim of reducing the prison population and modernising the Czech penal system. One of the key measures is to expand the possibility of imposing fines and other alternative forms of punishment, such as house arrest or community service.
The amendment also reduces penalties for less serious offences such as petty theft, non-payment of maintenance or endorsing terrorism on the internet. These offences will more often be punished with alternative sentences. It will now be possible to legally grow small amounts of cannabis (up to three plants) and keep a limited amount for personal use, which should help to reduce the black market. At the same time, however, penalties for predicate offences are being toughened and a new offence of unauthorised activity for foreign powers is being introduced in response to current security threats.
The amendment also introduces new types of penalties, such as the prohibition on the performance of public contracts or the use of subsidies, and strengthens the protection of vulnerable groups. We write in more detail about the changes to the Criminal Code in this separate article.
As you can see, 2025 brings major changes to the law that will make divorce proceedings easier, end alternating care and improve work-life balance through more flexible working hours. There are also new developments in the employment of minors and the equalisation of civil partners. These changes promise to simplify processes, provide greater protection for children and fairer conditions in the labour market.
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