The Basic Court in Pljevlja ruled in favor of Joka Đačić, a former secretary of the Secretariat for General and Inspection Affairs, who sued the Municipality of Pljevlja over unpaid annual leave. The court found that Đačić was unable to take her annual leave due to the specific nature of her work and the impossibility of finding a replacement during the coronavirus epidemic. The municipality paid Đačić the unused leave with interest last year, and the court ordered the municipality to cover the legal costs. The court did not find fault with the plaintiff for the damage incurred; the burden of proof lies with the employer. The decision is based on labor law provisions and the organization of local government work.
Political Perspectives:
Left: Left-leaning reports emphasize workers’ rights and the responsibility of local government to ensure fair treatment of employees, highlighting the court’s decision as a victory for labor rights during difficult times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. They focus on the challenges faced by employees in public service and the importance of legal protections against employer negligence.
Center: Center-leaning coverage presents a balanced view, focusing on the legal aspects of the case, the specific circumstances of the pandemic affecting work conditions, and the court’s role in interpreting labor laws fairly. They highlight the procedural correctness and the municipality’s compliance with the court’s ruling, without assigning blame but acknowledging the complexity of managing public administration during crises.
Right: Right-leaning narratives may emphasize the administrative challenges faced by the municipality and the importance of maintaining public service efficiency. They might frame the case as an unfortunate but understandable consequence of the pandemic’s impact on local government operations, stressing that no fault was found with the employee and that the municipality acted within its limits by eventually compensating the unused leave.
