The state character of Soviet social maintenance

142

-SUFPIEMEHPARY HEADING Lower Aga Limite for Pensione

Pensionable age in the TJSSR is 55 for women and 60 for men. Workers in a number of trades have even lower age lim­

its, because of the specific features of their profession.

Men in the mining trade - coal-hewers, drift miners, etc., a big number of people in the metallurgical industry and engineering, as well as a number of workers in other in­

dustries, enjoy the right to go on pension at 50. Electric welders, geologists, fishermen, lumberjacks, men and women workers engaged in the production of antibiotics, diesel- and electric-locomotive drivers, railway dispatchers, inter- urban telephone-exchange operators, stokers and engine-room men on vessels of the river fleet and merchant marine, as well as workers in many other trades, can go on pension 5 years earlier than the conventional age. Women X-ray doctors go on pension at 45. It is not obligatory for the entire length of service to be spent exclusively in the trade providing these special rights. Half of the time served is quite sufficiemt,

Maternity Leave

Our state pays special attention to the needs of preg­

nant women and of mothers who have children of up to one yeer of age. Special lawyers are attached to women's advisory clinics, maternity homes and children's polyclinics. Their task is to protect the rights of expectant mothers, materni­

ty4* and babyhood. They see to it that women receive all the benefits granted them by the state, throughout pregnancy and childbirth.

If need be the future mother is transferred to am easi­

er job or granted an easier or shorter schedule. In erooh e case the woman is guaranteed her normal previous wage. Be­

sides this, it is forbidden to employ pregnant women* nurs—

143

-ing mothers and mothers with babies less than a year old for overtime or night work, neither may they be sent on business tripe.

Women are given 56 days leave prior to, and the same number of days after childbirth. If the delivery is prema­

ture or with complications, or if two or more babies are been, the postnatal leave is extended to 70 days. Maternity leave is granted to all women, irrespective of their length of ser­

vice, During this period the woman receives her normal wage. Her annual paid holiday can be added to her maternity

leave if she so desires«

The woman may take a paid leave until her baby is 12 months old« The women who adopt a baby from a maternity home enjoy this right as well. This leave is added both to the woman*s general and the uninterrupted service re»

cord and throughout the period of her leave her job re­

mains reserved for her.

A special intermission for feeding their babies is grant­

ed to nursing mothers who return to their job. It is given at intervals of not more than three hours each, and it must be of not less than JO minutes' duration. In cases where the woman has twins, the intermission time is doubled. The mothers preserve this right throughout the entire period they feed the baby. The intermissions are included in the woman's working hours and are paid accordingly.

144

-L E S S 0 IT 18

THE SOVIET IEGISLATION ON MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY

The main aims of the Soviet legislation on marriage and the family are the consolidation of the family, the basing of family relations on the voluntary marital union of a man and a woman, bringing up children in accordance with public in­

terests, the protection of the righte of mothers and chil­

dren and the removal of harmful survivals in family rela­

tions.

The Fundamentals of the Legislation on Marriage and the Family fix a uniform marriage age - 18 years. This Is the age when a person assumes full rights as a citizen, and can independently exercise his or her rights and duties in per­

sonal and property relations. Besides this, from the age of eighteen, Soviet citizens enjoy political righte, the right to elect to all bodies of state power and the right to be elected to local Soviets.

Another obligatory condition is monogamy, which means that the given marriage must be the sole one for each of the two persons.

The third obligatory condition is that the persons must not be close relations. Hence relatives in the direct Hn+

of ascent or descent (the line of ascert - father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, etc.; the line of descent - son, daughter, grandson, granddaughter, etc.), and also brothers and sisters, whether of full blood or half blood, and also adoptive parents and adopted children are not allowed to en­

ter into marriage.

The persons who enter into marriage should be informed of each other's state of health.

Finally, one other condition. Marriage is not register­

ed if one of the persons has been recogniseA by the court as 145

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Incapable In lav doe to mental illness or imbecility. This does not mean that people suffering from mental diseases are denied marriage in general. The law prohibits entry into marriage in those cases when a person is not conscious of his actions, in appropriate ruling is made by a court based on an expert testimony.

The entry into marriage is effected at state registry offices.

Notes to the Text

the voluntary marital union of a man and a woman - me he ja naise vaheline vabatahtlik abieluline liit

the removal of harmful survivals in family relations - kah­

julike igandite väljajuu­

rimine perekondlikest su­

hetest

can independently exercise his or her rights and duties vöib iseseisvalt teostada oma õigusi ja kohustusi relatives in the direct line of ascent or descent - otse­

joones ülenevas või alane­

vas liinis sugulased has been recognized by the court as incapable in law due to mental illness or imbecility - on tunnistatud kohtu poolt

teovõimetuks vaimuhaiguse või nõrgamõistuslikkuse tõttu

is not conscious of his actions - ei ole võimeline oma te­

gudest aru saama ja neid juhtima

state registry office - perekonnaseisuorgan 146

-E x e r c i s e s I. Head the following words:

marriage, marital, removal, survival, uniform, obligatory, monogamy, ascent, descent, finally, imbecility, conscious, testimony, registry.

Ц . Answer the following questions: