ZAGREB, Dec 7, 2020 - The government adopted four decisions on Friday under which public health and social welfare workers catering for COVID patients would be given a bonus in the amount of 10% of their monthly basic pay.
Army medical staff and prison staff looking after COVID patients are also entitled to this bonus.
Health Minister Vili Beros said that medical professionals currently reassigned to COVID hospitals would be given a monthly salary in the amount of their average monthly take-home pay in the last three months before their reassignment to COVID hospitals if that amount is more favourable for them.
This refers to the salaries already paid for November.
The workers concerned have been offered this option after the Croatian Medical Chamber (HLK) warned that some of the doctors reassigned to COVID-19 hospitals received lower monthly pay for November than what they used to be paid before their reassignment.
The HLK has been informed that the November salary for some of the doctors who are treating COVID-19 patients was considerably lower than their take-home pay before they started working with this category of patients. In some cases this reduction was 20%.
The HLK dismissed the "bureaucratic explanation" about them having worked fewer working hours in November, as it has been made clear that the protective gear necessary for doctors working with COVID patients makes it impossible for them to work the full hours specified for that month.
