On Tuesday, the Latvian Social and Labor Affairs Commission voted to support a proposal that employees working on holidays should receive a bonus of no less than 100% of their hourly or daily wage. This decision marks a significant change from the committee's previous stance, which just a week prior endorsed amendments that proposed a 50% bonus for overtime and a 75% bonus for work during holidays. The confusion arose from the deputies’ earlier approval of proposals that did not guarantee bonuses for employees working on holidays that were not classified as overtime.

The situation highlighted a lack of clarity among the deputies regarding the implications of their votes, as pointed out by a representative from the Latvian Free Trade Union Confederation (LBAS). The LBAS noted that the deputies had inadvertently authorized terms that could lead to employees working on holidays without receiving any additional compensation if it was not classified as overtime. To address this, the committee chairman, Andris Bērziņš, requested the Saeima's Legal Office to clarify and properly format the voted proposals to ensure their legality and proper interpretation.

With LBAS estimates suggesting that an employee earning an average salary in Latvia would significantly benefit from the proposed changes, the reversal towards a 100% bonus is seen as a victory for labor rights. This change not only provides better compensation for holiday working conditions but also reflects a growing awareness and advocacy for fair pay among labor representatives.