30.04.2020
Updates in Russia before the May holidays
President of Russia extended the period of non-working days
On April 28, Vladimir Putin signed a decree on extension of the non-working days due to the situation with the coronavirus. He declared May 6-8 as non-working days. Thus, restrictions for business have been extended until May 11, inclusive, taking into account the May holidays in Russia. Employers shall ensure paying of salary to their employees as usual. The list of companies continuing to work remains the same.
They are:
- organizations continuously operating, having equipment designed for a continuous technological process;
- medical and pharmacy organizations;
- organizations providing the population with food and essential goods;
- organizations performing emergency work in an emergency and / or when there is a threat of spread of a disease that poses a danger to others, in other cases that endanger the life, health or normal living conditions of the population;
- organizations engaged in emergency repair and handling operations;
- organizations providing financial services in terms of emergency functions (primarily services for settlements and payments);
- other organizations, according to the decisions of the regions’ governing bodies.
During the meeting with the leaders of the federal regions, The President also instructed to develop by May 5 recommendations for a staged moving out of the restrictions regime of the regions. He also announced the development of a package of additional measures for citizens and business support.
Source: Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of April 28, 2020 No. 294
Approved temporary rules of rotational work
The Russian Government approved the temporary rules of rotational work. They will be applicable until the end of 2020. The document allows increasing the maximum duration of the rotation, but no more than 3 months, as com-pared with the requirements of the Rus-sian Labor Code (generally, the term of rotation should not exceed 1 month). Such changes may be implemented only by mutual agreement of employer and employee. Therewith, the daily shift shall not go over 12 hours. Employees shall enjoy at least one day-off each week. Employers continue to keep rec-ords of working hours and are required to pay for all excess hours worked ac-cording to the rules of overtime.
Source: Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of April 28, 2020 No. 601 “On approval of temporary rules of work under rotation system”
Courts continue to hold hearings via video-conference means of communication
The personal reception of citizens has been suspended until May 11, inclusive. Courts will hold hearings via video- and web-conferencing systems on writ and simplified proceedings as well as urgent matters, i.e. on the protection of constitutional rights to liberty and personal security, protection of health and property, including:
- on the election, extension, cancellation or change of a preventive measure;
- on the protection of the interests of a minor person or a person declared legally incompetent, in case a legal representative refuses to accept medical intervention necessary to save a life;
- on administrative offenses, the commission of which entails an administrative arrest or administrative expulsion;
- on administrative offenses for the commission of which an administrative suspension of activity may be imposed and a temporary prohibition of activity has been applied;
- about securing the claim.
Participants of the hearing may file an application with the court electronically and attach scanned copies of documents.
Source: Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation and the Presidium of the Council of Judges of the Russian Federation of April 29, 2020 No. 822
Citizens of Russia who have the right of permanent living in another country are entitled to leave Russia. This can be done only once.
The head of Government signed a decree that allows Russian citizens to leave Russia for another country in which they have the right of permanent living. It will be possible to leave only once.
Source: Government Order of April 29, 2020 No. 1170-r
The term of the ban on entry into Russia for foreign citizens has been extended for an indefinite period.
The Russian Prime Minister extended the ban on entry for foreign citizens for an indefinite period. The ban will remain in force until the epidemiological situation improves.
Exceptions are foreign citizens who come to Russia to set up and maintain foreign equipment. To do this, personal data of foreign citizens must be included in the list sent to the Federal Security Service of Russia by the federal executive body which has foreign equipment.
Source: Government Order of April 29, 2020 No. 1170-r
Simplification of the procedure for obtaining Russian citizenship in a simplified manner.
The President signed Federal Law No. 134-ФЗ, which introduces amendments to the Federal Law “On Citizenship of the Russian Federation”. It simplifies obtaining the Russian citizenship for certain categories of foreign citizens and stateless persons.
The indicated changes include the following:
- Foreign citizens who have received a Russian education are now required to work in the Russian Federation for only 1 year to obtain the Russian citizenship in a simplified procedure. Previously, they were required to work 3 years;
- Foreign citizens or stateless persons who are married with a citizen of the Russian Federation and have common children are now entitled to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified manner;
- Stateless persons who have reached the age of 18 years, had USSR citizenship, and who lived and still lives on the territory of the former USSR states, are entitled to obtain Russian citizenship in a simplified process, not only without observing the requirement of residence in Russia (at least five years), but also without observing the condition of having the legal means of sustenance;
- Citizens of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova or Ukraine will be able to apply for citizenship of the Russian Federation in a simplified manner.
Under the new legislation, foreign citizens no longer need to renounce their foreign citizenship in order to become citizens of the Russian Federation.