Alen Ružić announces pay equality for personal assistants

Croatia's Minister of Labour, Pension System, Family and Social Policy, Alen Ružić, has announced plans to ensure personal assistants employed by associations receive the same pay and rights as those in public institutions. This move follows a request from the Regional Industrial Union (RIS) to increase the hourly service rate from 11 to 17 euros.

Ružić clarified that the current 11-euro rate is the cost of the service paid to associations to cover salaries, operations, and overhead, rather than the assistants' direct hourly wage. The Ministry is calculating a new system based on a 1.35 coefficient, which would result in a starting net salary of approximately 1,100 euros. This aims to align association-based employees with public sector caregivers, who earn an average of 1,300 euros.

In addition to wage standardization, the Ministry intends to extend collective agreement benefits—such as Christmas bonuses and vacation allowances—to association employees. The plan also seeks to ensure service continuity by providing replacements for assistants during sick leave or annual holidays.