Volgograd Ombudsman helps invalid with his unemployment benefit

A jobless Volgograd invalid of 56 spent half a year to prove his right to his unemployment benefit. Finally he succeeded in the court with legal support of the Ombudsman for the Volgograd Region.

"On November 1 last year, Evgeniy Z. was dismissed because of staff reduction from the Closed Joint-Stock Company (CJSC) "Regional Energy Service", where he had diligently worked for 16 years as mechanic for repair of thermal network equipment," Valery Rostovschikov, Regional Ombudsman, tells the history of the conflict to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. "Ten days later he addressed the State Institution (SI) Krasnoarmeiskiy District Employment Centre of Volgograd and was registered as an unemployed there."

According to the Ombudsman, for the first three months the sacked invalid received his monthly average salary from his former employer according to the labour legislation. After expiry of three months he raised the issue of his unemployment benefit. However, since he had no residence registration (he had only place-of-stay registration for the period of three years), he was rejected the jobless status and corresponding benefit.

At the same time, by the order of the head of the employment department of the Centre of February 27, 2009, the invalid was deleted from the registry for non-visiting the Centre during three months. However, his absence was caused by his in-patient treatment after a heavy insult. After hospital Evgeniy received Group II of physical disability and addressed for defence of his labour rights to the Volgograd Ombudsman.

"The Krasnoarmeiskiy Court of Volgograd considered the citizen's arguments and obliged the above SI to register him as a jobless and pay him out the unemployment benefit starting from February 1, 2009. The same decision adjudged compensation of moral harm in favour of the citizen Z. from the Employment Centre. The cassation instance has upheld the decision of the regional court," said Mr Rostovschikov.