Whilst in prison, you have the right to apply for paid work if any position is available. However, you cannot demand that the prison administration create a position for you. You may also be asked to do certain unpaid work for the maintenance of the prison.
Read more about the specific rules for paid and unpaid work:
The prison administration may ask you to do some work which is necessary for the maintenance of the prison facilities. This work should not exceed 4 hours a day. This work may involve cleaning the prison territory, helping to organize a cultural event and other similar tasks. Although this work is unpaid, it will not be considered to be forced labour and will not, therefore, violate your rights.
important Work should not be used as a punishment or means of discrimination and humiliation. In addition, the work must not be excessively long or heavy.
If you have been forced to do work that is not for prison maintenance or other type of work for periods clearly exceeding limits set under the law, this may lead to the violation against the prohibition of forced labour.
How to complain
If you are forced to do maintenance work exceeding the limits allowed by law, you should complain to a head of a prison or to the prosecutor’s office. Read more about how to complain.
The prison administration does not have a duty to provide you with the type of work you want to do. It is only required to try to find work for as many prisoners as reasonably possible, depending on resources and the availability of positions. For that purpose, the prison corps organizes activities in the co called prison's economic center to ensure work for prisoners. The center produces products or provides works and services that are available to customers for a price.
The position must not be denied to you on illegally discriminatory grounds.
example The reason that you did not get the position must not be due to your nationality, skin color or religion.
Applicable law
Some general rules of the Labour law applies even though the paid work of prisoners for prison is not considered to be a proper employment. Salary for prisoners is regulated by specific law and salary scale of a prisoner depends on character of work and experiences of particular prisoner.
If you have been denied a paid work position because of your nationality, skin color or for other prohibited grounds, the prohibition against discrimination or unequal treatment may have been violated.
How to complain
If you believe that you were discriminated or you were denied work at all, you can submit a complaint to a head of a prison or the prosecutor’s office. Read more about how to complain.