Overview
- On December 30, deputies led by State Duma vice speaker Vladislav Davankov asked Health Minister Mikhail Murashko to grant a special additional paid day off to medical staff who worked the New Year’s night.
- The health-sector request seeks a distinct guarantee beyond Article 153 of the Labor Code, which provides double pay or an alternative day off for holiday work.
- Lawmakers cited official Ministry of Health figures showing shortages of about 23,000 doctors and 63,000 mid‑level medical staff, saying the lack of personnel limits the ability to take compensatory rest.
- In a separate December 31 letter to Labor Minister Anton Kotyakov, the faction proposed adding three paid vacation days for any workers on the December 31–January 1 night shift.
- Deputies argue holiday shifts bring peak emergency demand and that guaranteed recovery time would cut fatigue-related errors, with both proposals still pending and not enacted.