Regentjobwork by the rules: an employee's reference

An independent reference on employees' labour rights. It is not legal advice, a recruitment agency or a public body, and it is not connected with the former website on this domain.

Terms

Terms

Employment documents use words that mean something different in everyday speech, or are never used in it at all. We have gathered the main terms for hiring, pay, rest and dismissal and explained them briefly. If a term in your contract is not entirely clear, it is better to clarify it before signing than to argue about its meaning later.

A misunderstood word in a contract can turn into a dispute. Clarifying it before signing is easier than working out the meaning afterwards.

— Editor's note

The definitions are simplified and based on the Russian Labour Code. They help you find your way in documents but do not replace the text of the law or your contract. Rules differ in other countries: check your own law or ask a local adviser.

Hiring

Employment contract
A written agreement between employee and employer on work in a defined position for a salary, following the internal work rules. If an employee is admitted to work without one, the contract is put in writing within three working days of admission.
Employer
An organisation or individual that concludes an employment contract with the employee, organises the work and pays for it. Written questions and demands go to the employer first.
Probation
A period during which the employer checks whether the employee is suitable for the work. The probation clause is stated in the contract; probation lasts not more than three months, or six months for heads of organisations, their deputies and chief accountants.
Job duties
A list of what the employee does in their position. It is usually set out in the contract or in a job description that you sign to confirm you have read it.
Working hours
The pattern of work and rest: start and end of the working day, breaks, days off, shifts. It is set by the contract and the internal work regulations.
Service contract
A civil-law contract under which a contractor does a specific piece of work and hands over the result. Labour guarantees such as leave, pay deadlines and dismissal rules do not apply to it.

Pay and rest

Salary
Payment for work, together with compensatory and incentive payments where they apply. Under Russian law it is paid at least every half month.
Payslip
A document showing what was earned for the period, what was deducted and what was paid out. It helps you check whether your salary was calculated correctly.
Annual paid leave
Time off with pay. Annual basic paid leave is 28 calendar days.
Overtime
Work at the employer's initiative beyond the set working hours. The law limits it and requires higher pay; see the current version of the code for details.
Compensation for unused leave
A cash payment for leave days the employee did not manage to take. As a rule, it is paid on dismissal together with the final settlement.

Dismissal

Resignation of your own accord
Ending the employment contract at the employee's initiative. The employee gives the employer written notice no later than two weeks before, unless the law sets another period.
Working out your notice
An everyday phrase for the notice period when you resign of your own accord. The law does not use this term: it simply means the time between handing in your resignation and the day of dismissal.
Day of dismissal
The last day the employment contract is in force. On this day the employee receives the documents related to their work and the final settlement.
Final settlement
All amounts due to the employee on dismissal: pay for time worked, compensation for unused leave and other payments due. It is paid on the day of dismissal.
  • Basics

    What an employment relationship is made of: the contract, job title and duties, working hours, pay, leave and termination, and how a service contract differs.

  • Documents

    The papers that matter to an employee: the contract, the hiring order, the payslip, written requests and records of employment, and why to keep copies.

  • FAQ

    Short answers to common questions before hiring, while in work and when resigning of your own accord.

Sources

  • Labour Code of the Russian Federation, Articles 67, 70, 80, 115, 136, 140

These materials are based on the Labour Code of the Russian Federation and describe Russian law only. Labour rules change from time to time, so check each article against the current version on the official legal information portal. Rules differ in other countries: check your own law or ask a local adviser, and in a real dispute with an employer contact a lawyer or the labour inspectorate.