Insurance necessary even for freelance workers

A new requirement for freelance workers was introduced – they will have to pay social insurance. This measure targets primarily artists, translators, professional sportsman, journalists and writers. From now on, they will be regarded as self-employed and have to report their business to the National Social Security Agency by 8th February.

Energy consumption cards

This is a new stipulation for property investors as well as small builders and owners of buildings. As of this year, they have to obtain an Energy consumption card for the building. The card is compulsory for new housing constructions with a floor space bigger than 50 square metres. If the floor space is bigger than 1,000 m2, the relevant part of the card will have to be displayed in a public place.  The new regulation should make house and flat owners more ecologically conscious and should ensure that building companies use energy saving technologies. The card enables you to estimate monthly heating costs. The least energy consuming premises will be labelled with the grade A, the most energy consuming ones will be ranked as grade G. The grading will influence the price of a flat. 

To obtain a card it is necessary to submit a project and carry out an energy audit of the building.

Price increase:

  • The Czech Post Office will raise the price of parcel post up by 10 CZK. Postage rates of letters remain the same.
  • Energy companies, ČEZ and Pražská energetika, will raise energy prices by approximately 9.9 percent. Customers of the company E.ON, which supplies south Bohemia and Moravia, can expect an increase of approximately 16.4 percent.

Pensions will go up

Pensions will rise by about 330 CZK.  The proportional part of the pension, which is calculated on the basis of the time spent working and pension payments, will go up by 4.4 percent. The fixed part, 2,170 CZK, will remain same. As of 1st January 2009, the average pension will amount 9,985 CZK.

Sick leave

As of 1st January, sick leave will not apply for the first three days of any period of absence. For the following 11 workdays, sick leave is covered by the employer. Afterwards the payments will be made by the National Social Security Agency.

Details at: www.cssz.cz (in Czech)

Ecological charges are introduced...

…for old cars. If purchasing an old car, drivers will be subject to ecological charges of between 3,000 and 10,000 CZK, depending on the degree that the emissions vary from the Euro emission norm.

Source: ČTK