In Hungary, there is no single managing body. Therefore the main authorities responsible for public employment within the Hungarian administrative organization are the following:
Director-General.
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Member of Parliament, Director-General for Human Resource Development and
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Recruitment.
Member of Parliament, Director-General for Training and Education.
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Director of the Project and Subsidies Office.
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Financial Director.
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IT Director.
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Central Administration Director for Human Resources and Project Development.
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The following are particularly relevant: a) The Training and Education Division. b) The Human Resource Development and Recruitment Division.
The Training and Education Division prepares a permanent competitive examination focussed on the evolution of public employees in terms of training. It also concentrates on the development of programmes for the improvement and modernisation of central, regional and local administration.
The Human Resource Development and Recruitment Division is developing a system focussed on reducing costs and enhancing the public services offered to citizens.
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Data: Distribution by categories and territorial Public Administrations
Data: Distribution by categories and territorial Public Administrations HUNGARIAN POPULATION (APPROXIMATELY 10 MILLION)Two categories of public employment (population) Public Employment Systems (population)
In turn, it must be highlighted that the percentage of women in the Hungarian Administration is 55%. Of these, 30% are civil servants.
3.- RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS, PRINCIPLES AND VALUES
Principles: Public employee principles are similar to those established in most European countries, highlighting impartiality, proper performance, fairness and objectivity in the provision of a public service. On the other hand, they are obliged to respect the principle of hierarchical obedience and some employees have to declare their assets and interests prior to taking up office.
Rights and obligations: Public sector employees have the following rights: 1. The individual right to a career in the public service and to training. Since 2006, training is also an obligation. 2. Collective rights such as the right to strike (except for members of the judiciary and the police), as set out in Law VII of 1989 and the right to representation through social dialogue.
4.- CAREER-BASED SYSTEM
The 1992 Civil Servants’ Act regulates an administrative career for an indefinite period throughout their active lives. However, there are certain circumstances in which a civil servant may occupy a post for a fixed period of time.
The basic career of civil servants has been developed over the years, by making the minimum requirements for candidates stricter, particularly after 1997, when the basic public administration regulations were approved, in which some of the most characteristic aspects are defined. Therefore, a degree is a requirement to enter a civil servant position.
The vertical career reaches its ceiling at civil servant supervisor level. Another position on the hierarchical scale that is often performed in the latter years of an administrative career is that of Head of Employment for each unit, responsible for recruiting human resources for each unit.
The national coordination body in this field is the Hungarian Institute for Public Administration, responsible for training, although training is provided on a regional level.
5.- REMUNERATION
In turn, it must be highlighted that the percentage of women in the Hungarian Administration is 55%. Of these, 30% are civil servants.
3. RIGHTS, OBLIGATIONS, PRINCIPLES AND VALUES
Principles: Public employee principles are similar to those established in most European countries, highlighting impartiality, proper performance, fairness and objectivity in the provision of a public service. On the other hand, they are obliged to respect the principle of hierarchical obedience and some employees have to declare their assets and interests prior to taking up office.
Rights and obligations: Public sector employees have the following rights: 1. The individual right to a career in the public service and to training. Since 2006, training is also an obligation. 2. Collective rights such as the right to strike (except for members of the judiciary and the police), as set out in Law VII of 1989 and the right to representation through social dialogue.
4. CAREER-BASED SYSTEM
The 1992 Civil Servants’ Act regulates an administrative career for an indefinite period throughout their active lives. However, there are certain circumstances in which a civil servant may occupy a post for a fixed period of time.
The basic career of civil servants has been developed over the years, by making the minimum requirements for candidates stricter, particularly after 1997, when the basic public administration regulations were approved, in which some of the most characteristic aspects are defined. Therefore, a degree is a requirement to enter a civil servant position.
The vertical career reaches its ceiling at civil servant supervisor level. Another position on the hierarchical scale that is often performed in the latter years of an administrative career is that of Head of Employment for each unit, responsible for recruiting human resources for each unit.
The national coordination body in this field is the Hungarian Institute for Public Administration, responsible for training, although training is provided on a regional level.
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5. REMUNERATION
There are different payment categories according to the number of years of service in the Hungarian Civil Service. Public sector employees’ pay comprises a base salary calculated on the civil servant’s position, and additional remuneration for some employees (central administration, National Assembly, Constitutional Court).
The base salary level is set by parliament every year, following negotiations with management and representatives of the leading trade unions. This salary cannot be lower than that of the previous year. There is also position and performance-related pay.
6. SOCIAL DIALOGUE AND SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATION
Social dialogue takes place at the National Interest Conciliation Council, where public employees are represented. Issues subject to Social Dialogue are working and living conditions of public employees, salaries, human resource management, etc. It is characterised by its centralized structure and is organised on two levels:
National Interest Conciliation Council of the Public Service provides the framework 1.
for national negotiation on issues such as salary levels and the organisation of the work of civil servants, public sector employees and the Armed Forces. The State is represented by senior civil servants of the various Ministries concerned.
At departmental level, sector-based agreements are concluded between the State 2.
and Trade Unions (25-40% of civil servants are members of a trade union).
7. SENIOR CIVIL SERVANTS
In Hungary, there is no special Senior Civil Service group, like in other European countries. However, there are political figures that hold management positions in the Administration. The following can be highlighted: (Summary Table)
FUNCTIONAL
LEvEL TITLE PART OF SCS? POLITICAL
APPOINTMENT
1st Level Prime Minister, Ministers No Yes
2nd Level State Secretary No Yes
3rd Level Assistant State Secretary No Yes
4th Level Senior Head of Department No No
5th Level Head of Department No No
All of these figures share some common characteristics, as the Hungarian Civil Service Act (1992) created “probationary period” which grants a temporary or permanent position in the Civil Service. The common characteristics date back to
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1997, when the principles and values required for senior and management posts in the Hungarian Administration were introduced. Since then, the Hungarian Institute for Public Administration, which is responsible for training, among other functions, has been determining which ones should form the basic criteria for entry into the Administration. This criteria is based on:
1. Recruitment: Civil service status is legally considered a “special contractual relationship” between the central, regional, or local government and the civil servant. Civil servant status is awarded during the recruitment process, which begins with direct recruitment by central, regional or local employers. In most cases civil servants are appointed for a flexible managerial post.
2. Assessment. The supervisor of each unit manages and assesses the work of civil servants in the framework of a special evaluation system (TER). This assessment takes place annually.
3. Training and Management Skills Programmes: Initial training for civil servants starts at the Administrative Study University, which offers diplomas on completion of the examinations in the year in which civil servants are registered. On-going training is provided by the Government Centre for Public Administration and Human Resource Services, which opened in 2007 and provides training in a wide range of areas. A new public manager programme is currently underway, which aims to train leaders in administrative organization.
4. Another programme currently being offered is the Executive Management in Public Administration, “EMPA”, which evaluates the quality of the work performed in accordance with OECD criteria. These training programmes ensure that civil servants have the necessary skills to work at the highest level in the Hungarian Administration.
5. Diversity Policies: There are no policies on diversity in Hungary but there are objectives to reach real gender equality in the short term (there is a large percentage of women in the civil service).
6. Work-Life Balance: There are no statistics related to work-life balance for public employees, although it can be verified that the Hungarian system has made enormous progress in this area in recent years. Although part-time work and tele-working are not possible, voluntary flexible tele-working hours do exist
7. Mobility: Public employees may enter a higher position provided that they fulfil the requirements previously established by their supervisor, prior to a selection process and they fulfil the requirements for the job. This type of mobility is similar to the Spanish system’s vertical mobility.