Therapists at the Nursing Home in Bijelo Polje seek a response from Gutić’s ministry about salary cuts and imposition of duties outside their scope

At the Nursing Home in Bijelo Polje, questions have been raised regarding management practices and the treatment of employees after occupational and work therapists sent a letter in the first half of February to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography, requesting a review of recent amendments to job classification rules

In the letter, which ETV Portal had access to, some employees challenge decisions made by the public institution’s director, Predrag Tončić, claiming that they lead to the degradation of their profession and a reduction in salaries, without what they consider valid reasons or justification.

The Ministry of Social Welfare, Family Care and Demography told ETV Portal that it had reviewed the act on internal systematization and organization of jobs at the Bijelo Polje Nursing Home, with the aim of clarifying the duties of occupational therapists.

Abolition of weekend shifts and significant salary decline

In their letter, therapists recall a decision from July 2025 that abolished weekend work for their service. They state that weekend shifts had previously been carried out based on a decision by the former director, and that their cancellation led to a significant drop in salaries.

Some employees also emphasize that during the period when they worked weekends, there were no objections regarding the legality of such an organization of work.

- No inspection identified any irregularities, nor were there any complaints about how we performed our duties - the letter states.

In addition to the fact that residents of the nursing home require equal treatment on working and non-working days, this change has resulted in users of the institution being deprived of certain professional activities and organized programs on weekends.

In a brief response, the Ministry stated that overtime work is introduced at the employer’s discretion.

- Regarding the abolition of overtime work, Article 64 of the Labour Law stipulates that an employee’s working hours may exceed the agreed working time in cases of sudden increases in workload, force majeure, or other exceptional circumstances. Overtime is introduced by a written decision of the employer prior to its commencement. The decision must include: the reason for introducing overtime, a list of employees engaged, and the start time. Overtime may last only as long as necessary to eliminate the causes for which it was introduced, with the total working time not exceeding an average of 48 hours per week over a four-month period. Therefore, in accordance with the above, overtime is introduced at the employer’s discretion when there is a need for it, i.e. in cases of increased workload - the Ministry stated.

However, the ministry led by Damir Gutić did not provide answers to numerous questions regarding the content of the employees’ letter and their claims.

New obligations introduced for occupational therapists

One of the reasons for addressing Minister Gutić is the amendment of the Rulebook on internal organization and job classification, which introduced new obligations for highly educated occupational therapists, among them purchasing goods and groceries for residents in supermarkets.

Some employees claim these changes were introduced without any consultation.

- The new obligations were introduced without a meeting, professional discussion, or any explanation, thereby violating the principle of employee participation in decisions that significantly affect their employment status - the letter states.

According to employees, procurement tasks do not fall within the professional scope of occupational therapists, nor are they consistent with their higher education. They argue that this degrades a profession whose primary task is working with users through therapeutic and rehabilitation activities.

They also point out that these tasks were previously performed by employees with secondary education, who, they claim, were entitled to overtime pay for such work.

Despite these allegations, no response was provided as to whether the issue was considered or what the ministry’s stance is.

Some employees receive overtime for hours not worked

The letter also includes serious allegations regarding overtime records. Some occupational therapists claim that director Tončić approves overtime hours for certain employees who, according to them, do not actually work those hours.

- We have witnessed certain employees not showing up for work at times when overtime has been recorded for them - the letter states.

It is not known whether these claims will be investigated, but even the suspicion raises questions about working time control and the use of public funds in the institution.

Director previously warned by Ethics Committee

Additional concerns about management practices stem from claims that the Ethics Committee had previously issued a warning to director Predrag Tončić for inappropriate behavior toward one occupational therapist.

According to the committee’s opinion, as cited in the letter, the director was warned about his conduct toward an employee, something workers now link to the disputed changes in job classification.

In addition, the employees who signed the letter state that they were unable to meet with director Tončić, as he allegedly avoids such meetings, and that they did not receive understanding from the institution’s Board of Directors.

Request for intervention from Gutić’s ministry

Employees who believe they were unlawfully deprived of weekend work and burdened with duties outside their job description and education are now asking the ministry to review its approval of the January 2026 job classification changes. They also request the removal of duties from the occupational therapist role that are not aligned with its professional scope.

They further request the reintroduction of weekend work, stating that it would improve the quality of life for residents and reduce wage disparities among professional staff in the same service.

While the occupational therapists who submitted the letter await responses, the Ministry maintains that it is up to the employer to determine the need for overtime work, without addressing the specific allegations made.

The case at the Bijelo Polje Nursing Home has raised broader questions about management practices in social care institutions, and whether job classification systems are being used to improve services for residents or as a tool for redistributing duties and salaries among employees.