SERBIA: Obligations of Employers under the Law on Gender Equality

Newsletter 124

By adopting the Law on Gender Equality (“Official Gazette of RS”, no. 52/2021) (“Law”), the Republic of Serbia has continued to harmonize domestic regulations in this domain with the legislation of the European Union.

One of the main objectives of the new Law is to ensure the realization of equality between women and men in a more efficient way and the implementation of the principles of their equal opportunities and equal treatment in relation to issues of employment, self-employment, and occupation. The law also regulates the undertaking of special measures for the prevention and elimination of gender-based discrimination, as well as the procedure of legal protection of persons exposed to discrimination.

Adoption of the Plan and Program

Employers with more than 50 employees and contractors are obliged to determine and implement special measures within the annual work plans or programs, which, in addition to the elements prescribed by Law, must also contain a part related to achieving and promoting gender equality.

The part of the plan or program related to the realization of gender equality contains in particular: a brief assessment of the condition regarding the position of women and men with the employer, including age, list of special measures, reasons for determining special measures and goals that should be achieved by them, the start, manner, control and the cessation of the implementation of special measures.