My first experience of labour relationship.

When I refused to work without payment on the weekends and go on another long-term business trip, the employer simply stopped giving me tasks. From time to time he would ask if I had changed my mind.

Two weeks later he sent me an e-mail demanding me to submit an explanation within seven days about my unmerited two-week absence. After one working day (three calendar days) this work e-mail had been deactivated. Because of this, several days later I sent in my explanation via a registered letter. On the next day I have received a registered letter with the original version of the "Par paskaidrojumu sniegšanu" (a document that demands an explanation) document in it.
After another week I checked EDS VID profile and noticed something. It turns out my employment had been already terminated a couple of weeks ago. In other words, the employer has sent the «Par paskaidrojumu sniegšanu» document via a registered letter and then unilaterally terminated the contract of employment on the next working day. After waiting a while, I sent a demand to my employer via registered letter to give me the documents I am entitled to under labour law.
When I received no reply, I composed another letter and sent it as a registered letter. Once more, there was no reply.

So, I found myself in a situation without money, without a job and the only documents I have are my employment contract and a bank statement with money transfer info from the employer to my bank card. Lawyer's services cost - from €600.

What can a PLC programmer and recent student do against a bunch of seasoned dishonest people?
The Latvian Classifier of Occupations does not even have such a profession as a PLC programmer yet.

Obviously, utilize the principle — if you can't pay for it, learn and do it yourself. For some time, I had started to mimic a law student. Having made a bit of a living at the same time, several months later I approached VDI with a statement to request documents that I haven't received from my former employer. Rīgas Reģionālā Valsts darba inspekcija works without any rush, but you may get something from them in a year's time.

This is what I have learned.

It turns out that before I was fired, they were looking for me and couldn't find me. They had "forgotten" meanwhile that I was visiting the office at the employer's request. Moreover, I had talked with them by phone multiple times.

It turned out that nothing from my registered letters was received and they are still looking for them. Even though the letters never came back to me and A/S Latvijas Pasts is ready to officially confirm the fact that each of three letters I have sent were received by the chairman of the company's board of directors (the employer himself).

It turned out that according to the company's accountant's files, I had never worked on the weekends or done any overtime during my two years there. And If I did, that was only through "verbal agreements" so it may not be paid. If you want the payment so badly you can go to court and talk about it there.

It turned out that "all the documents" have been sent by registered mail. When I pointed out that, it is impossible to put more than one sheet of A4 format office paper with the weight of 80 grams per square meter into an envelope that only weighed 10 grams, they then made up that the documents were sent in separate letters (one of which was "lost somewhere"). They ignored the fact that, according to the employer's claim in the letter sent on the 15th of the month, "the document" had to be signed and dated by the 18th.

It turns out that it is a god knows what privilege for an employee to receive from the employer documents listed in the labour law. Which the employee forfeits at the time of termination of employment, including wrongful dismissal.

Here is the answer.

The law states:

Chapter 29 of the Labour Law

Protection of Employees when Terminating Employment Relationship

Section 122. Time Period for Bringing an Action

(1) An employee may bring an action in court for the invalidation of a notice of termination by an employer within one month from the day of receipt of the notice of termination. In other cases when the right of an employee to continue employment relationship has been violated he or she may bring an action in court for reinstatement within one month from the day of dismissal.

And it is interpreted today in the Latvian court system as follows, an employee has only one month after termination to appeal against its legality. One month after termination, if there are no proven pecuniary loses almost every claim is dismissed. This is well known by all lawyers who have experienced the topic of protecting the rights of an employee in Latvian courts.

To quote my employer and his explanation — … jo Ē.Mahotkins apzināti atteicās apmeklēt darbu un/vai pildīt savus darba pienākumus, ka arī pilnībā piekrita atlaišanai, jo neapstrīdēja uzteikumu. Meaning, from the very beginning of the conflict, the employer deliberately created conditions to confuse me and prevent me from appealing against the unlawful termination within a month's time. Deadline is passed, no documents. Truly elegant.

Indeed, why bother to read and comply with the numerous clauses of the labour law and other legislative acts when instead you have the prospect to get around paying for done work. All the while, taking a minor risk and in the worst case paying a fine of €70 for an administrative offence.

Now it becomes clear why my employer said things like: «А ты докажи что был в Германии», «Если я тебе заплачу за выполненную работу, то ты меня кинешь», «Рига город маленький» and so on.

This is the classic situation, repeatedly described in literature, between an employer and laborer. Placed under conditions that left them with minimal rights and poor living standards. Like in the 19th century. When there was no labour law. If you were cheated, it is your own fault.