Legal changes taking effect on Jan 1

(MTI) – Below is a list of major legal regulations taking effect on January 1, 2014

Public workers wages hiked

Wages for people employed in public work schemes will be raised by 2.4 percent, from a monthly 75,000 forints to 77,300 forints (EUR for full-time workers. People will be paid 99,100 forints rather than the current 96,800 forints for skilled work. The hike is included in the 2014 budget with a cost of 4.4 billion forints (EUR 14.8mn). The overall expense of the public works scheme is 184 billion forints (EUR 619mn).

Family benefits, social care

Families with children will become eligible for extra benefits, with special regard to a possibility for young mothers to return to work and retain their childcare benefit, as well as further tax benefits for parents. The tax breaks will affect about 260,000-270,000 families at a cost of 50 billion forints (EUR 167.5m)

Foster parents will be granted employee status, which will indirectly benefit 13,000 children. Adoption procedures will also be made simpler. The measures seek to help 2,430 children under 12, now living in homes, find families.