LEGAL POINT JOGPONT network in Hungary dr. Szilvia Lénárt VDSZ National Buro

The project 01.01.2009 – 31.01.2010 7 regions - 7 projects Uniform consortium partnership EU funds, Új Magyarország Development Plan, EU Social Fund co-financing. Free of charge legal aid – 02.02.2009 employees, employers, entrepreneurs.

Locations 151 customer points 96 lawyers 12-20 persons/regions 20-24 locations/regions mobil lawyers

Participants The networks operates in form of a consortium with different project owners per regions. The partners are: Hungarian Trade Union Confederation (MSZOSZ) Hungarian Industry Federation (OKISZ) Hungarian Association Of Craftsmen's Corporations (IPOSZ) National Federation of General Consumption Cooperatives and Trading Associations (ÁFEOSZ) Interest Representation of Traders and Catering Industry (KISOSZ) + the social dialogue centre.

The project Entrance to the labour market, Labour law, Social insurance law, Becoming an entrepreneur, corporate law. Targeted result: decrease the number of law suits, decrease the time devoted for such cases, less costs for the customers.

Mission Prevent court cases Evaluate court cases consulting (labour law, corporate law, social insurance law) Providing legal services for employees, employers, entrepreneurs, Priority target group: young people, young entrants to the labour market, disadvantaged, unemployed, entrepreneurs.

Results Improve legal consciousness and behaviour, Increase knowledge of law, Decrease disturbances in the application.

Statistics Number of data sheets (nationally): 26 104 (5 272) Union members: 1 997 MSZOSZ members: 1 273 Labour law data sheet: 15 556 Social insurance data sheet:4 580 Corporate law data sheet: 4 261 Others: 1 707

Distribution of cases nation wide

Customers in the 7 regions

Statistics Information on rights and obligations:19 134 Analyses of documents:1 049 Guidance in preparing legal documents:845 Document examples:261 Information on procedures (to be) followed:3 914 Information on location of official administration, opening hours:557 Other services:344

Statistics Female-male: 51.91% - 47.26% Age: - 25 : 8.26% 25-40 : 36.52% 41-50 : 35.42% +50 : 29.44%

Composition of customers Employed: 57.14% Job-seekers: 15.,77% Entrepreneurs: 12.99% Pensioners: 8.11% Others: 4.7%

Employers Economic corporation: 68.41% NGO: 2.55 Private entrepreneur: 5.36% Budgetary insitution:11.37% Budgetary organisation: 3.14% Armed forces: 0.96% Others: 8.18%

Sector Trade, maintenance: 21.84% Processing industry: 21.44% Construction industry: 11.14% Other services: 10.78% Transport, warehousing, post, telecom: 8.49% Hotel and catering: 7.34%

Subject of consultation Termination of employment: 37.39% Others: 9.98% (TU, collective labour law, legality of labour law documents) Working hours, wages: 8.62% Amendment of work contract: 7.47% Establish employment: 6.86%

Termination of employment Procedure to be followed: 34.63% Customers fears the opposite party will terminate his/her work contract and asks for advice to prepare: 22.25% General information on termination of employment: 16.22% Dismissal by employer: 39.53% Joint agreement: 17.24%

Lawyers evaluation on the legality Opposite party breached the customer’s rights: 42.19% The legality of the case is not probable: 24.85% Opposite party did not breach the customer’s rights : 23.73%

Construction industry Termination of employment Working hours and wages General wage issues, cost recovery, social benefits Employers’ liability Employment without registration

Planned steps Opponent defines his demand: 46.56% Launch legal dispute: 26.74% Not decided yet: 10.31% Labour supervision: 3.97%

Social insurance Health fund: 26.06% Pension fund: 46.82% Social benefits : 16.61% Family subsidy: 7.21% Others: 3.27%

Consulting on enterprises and corporate law Founding a company: 32.77% General information corporation Private entrepreneur Planning and managing the company: 18.86% Subsidies, allowances: 13.22% Termination of enterprises: 20% Others: 15.13%

Proposal for amendment of law Regulation on termination with joint agreement Sanctions on breaching the regulation on mandatory issue of certificates

Overall evaluation First platform – possibility for preliminary information Saves the customer from breaching the law due to lack of information. Saves the customer from getting into a legally disadvantaged or dependant situation. Helps the customer in a conflict situation to structure his/her case appropriately and select the right step and forum.

The future ??? TÁMOP 2.5.1/ B component – public debate : 2010 spring. New areas of law: family, tax, consumer protection. Causes for exclusion. Publication in December???

Thank you for your attention!