After nine months unpaid, volunteers at Bitola Clinical Hospital sign service contracts
About 20 doctors, nurses and support staff received paid contracts but lack employee pension and health insurance.
Volunteers at the Bitola Clinical Hospital who worked for nine months without pay signed service contracts today, the hospital director Nenesi Lozanche confirmed, saying the hospital received approval for their engagement yesterday.
What changed
The group includes around twenty people — doctors, nurses and non-medical staff — who had been employed under contracts until the end of last year. When approval to continue those contracts was not obtained, they remained at the hospital as unpaid volunteers.
The issue was raised publicly about two months ago during a visit to the Bitola Clinical Hospital by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Minister of Health Sasho Klekovski, when a citizen asked on camera what would happen to the volunteers who had been working without pay for months. The minister said at the time that he would review the case.
Under the new arrangements the volunteers receive paid engagements through service contracts, but they do not gain pension or health insurance as employees.
The group has said they expect a permanent resolution to their status and eventual employment at the Bitola Clinical Hospital.
Photo: press material from the event
