Hungary: flexible working time in the time of crisis

The Austrian Federal Economic Chamber reports that employers can thereby react to employment difficulties caused by the economic crisis.

Employers who decide on a reduced ordinary working time may now stipulate with the employees concerned that they will make up for the working time they have missed due to reduction till Dec. 31st 2011. To this date the ordinary working time may be increased by a maximum of those hours which it had been reduced earlier. Furthermore the ordinary weekly working time must not exceed 44 hours. Till Dec. 31st, 2011 the employer, in return, must refrain from dismissing any of those employees, neither for operational reasons nor in a mass dismissal.