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The story of Algeco: how to grow a company in the middle of the crisis?

Romania was fully hit by the global crisis, and construction field was by far one of the most affected areas. However, there is a company that not only survived the crisis but had significant increases in 2009. It's Algeco.

What was Algeco's success in Romania? The increase of turnover with 35% in 2009 compared to 2008 and a doubling of operational profit.

We wonder how it was possible, especially in a year that most companies in this area have dropped dramatically?

And here it is the story of Algeco ...

Algeco Romania is part of Algeco Scotsman, a leading global provider of services, expert in modular space and storage solutions. In other words, Algeco invests in solutions for space, which provides beneficiaries solving an immediate need at the best quality. read more»

Position versus salary

What is more important? The position you have in a company or the salary?
The fact that on our business card is written manager or director, or the hundreds of euros with which we can get the car or the house of your dreams?

Normally a good salary comes with an important position. But this assumption is not generally valid. It may happened to have a satisfactory salary and a less pleasant position. So, how many of us put into balance the importance of the money and of the position? And, if so, what is the result? read more»

The meal ticket - 8.72 lei starting with September 2009

Meal tickets can be offered to employees by any kind of company, they are tax deductible and exempt from taxes and social charges.

If so far, including the month of August 2009, in Romania the value of a meal ticket was 8.48 lei/month, starting with September 2009, a ticket will have the value of 8.72 lei.

In the Official Gazette nr.547 from the 6th of August 2009, was published the Order of the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Protection (MMFPS) no. 1.444/2009 for establishing the nominal value of a ticket for the second half of 2009, which approves the new value of the ticket since September 1, 2009.

It is good to know that the law 142/1998 who regulates the meal tickets regime provides the twice a year indexation of the value of these vouchers. The nominal value of the meal tickets is indexed every six months with the consumer price index of alimentary goods.

During the technical unemployment employers and employees are exempt from payment of taxes and contributions to the state budget

Technical unemployment was until recently a concept included in the Romanian Labor Code. After various legislative changes, however, the term "technical unemployment'' was removed, and his place was taken by the expressions "suspension of employment” or “a temporary interruption of employment”. However, in common language, the phrase" technical unemployment" is still used when we want to refer to such interruption or temporary suspension of employment contracts.

Regarding the payment of salaries and social contributions during such period, the Government is trying to help the employers in this period, through the Emergency Ordinance no. 28/2009 published in 25 March 2009: read more»

Gross minimum wage has increased to 600 lei from the 1st of January 2009

From the 1st of January 2009, according to the GD 1051/2008, the basic national minimum gross salary , in Romania, has been increased from 540 lei to 600 lei per month for a full time working programmme of 170 hours per month, representing the 3,529 Ron/ hour.

At the minimum wage stated above, coefficients corresponding to each job are applied. For example:

  • to employees that are qualified, the coefficient of 1.2 is applied so that they will have a minimum gross salary of 720 RON.
  • to employees with University degree, the coefficient of 2 is applied, so that they will have a minimum gross salary of 1200 RON.

Failure to respect these provisions represents contravention and is punished by fine from 1000 to 2000 RON.

Remuneration systems

One of most important obligations of the employer towards its employees is to pay them. Fulfilling the duties assumed, means for most employers one of the biggest expenses related to their activity. Salaries and their related costs (contributions to health, unemployment, pensions, etc.) usually add up to approximately 60% of total operating costs of a large-scale enterprise. read more»

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