It has been more than three years since the Revised Labour Law (Labour Law) came into force. For the first time, Labour Law provided detailed regulations for “roster shifts". According to Article 92.3 of the Labour Law, “For roster shift employees, the working day shall not last more than 12 hours, and overtime pay shall be calculated and paid based on Article 109.1 in accordance with Article 87. This article has created uncertainty in the application of the law and created a discrepancy between employees and employers as to how normal working hours were determined.

To clarify, the main point of contention is whether the normal working hours for roster shift employees should be calculated as 12 hours a day or 8 hours. Labour rights disputes over this issue have arisen extensively, and the Supreme Court (SC) has received and resolved several complaints. These types of disputes are usually resolved by the courts of first instance and the appellate courts, usually in favor of the employer. Instead, the SC received and resolved the complaints on the grounds that they were "bridging the gap in the application of the law" and that they were “of general importance in principle to the establishment of new legal concepts or the application of the law.“

This Legal Insight presents a brief summary of how roster shift working hours have been understood and applied in the SC resolutions.

What happened?

Between May and October 2024, the SC resolved several disputes related to roster shift working hours. The disputes focused on the issue of not considering 4 hours out of the 12-hour workday as overtime and not paying the corresponding overtime pay. The vast majority of the disputes were decided in favor of the employer, with the Court of First Instance and the Appellate Courts dismissing the claims. Instead, the SC held that the Court of First Instance and the Appellate Courts had failed to properly interpret the Labour Law and therefore had reason to rectify it and satisfy the plaintiff's claims.

Supreme Court’s analysis

Below is a brief summary of the main issues raised by the SC in satisfying the claim and resolving it in favor of the employees:

Firstly, the normal working hours for roster shift employees are 8 hours per day: Article 92.3 of the Labour Law states that the length of the workday for a roster shift employee is "not more than 12 hours," not "12 hours." In other words, the length of the normal working day for a roster shift employee shall not exceed 8 hours, and the employer may arrange for an extension of up to 4 hours as agreed with the employee, for a total of 12 hours.

Read the full examination and more:

Mongolia's leading mining project, Oyu Tolgoi, is set to hire 100 new employees.

The company has shared a public awareness posts on social media, providing information on the application process, onboarding, and addressing common misconceptions about working at Oyu Tolgoi.

Additionally, Oyu Tolgoi published its Q4 2024 statistics last week, highlighting key details and milestone accomplishments.

Learn more: www.facebook.com/share/p/18fxPSE6X9/

The GRÓ LRT Director, Dr. Sjöfn Vilhelmsdóttir, traveled to Mongolia from January 18 to 25 to visit partner institutions, meet with senior management, and interview candidates for the GRÓ LRT annual six-month training in Iceland. Mongolia has been a key partner country for GRÓ LRT since the programme's inception in 2007. Over the past 18 years, GRÓ LRT has welcomed fellows from ten Mongolian institutions, including academic and research institutions, government agencies, and non-profit organisations.

During her week-long stay in Mongolia, the GRÓ LRT Director visited nine institutions, including the Agency for Land Administration and Management, Geodesy and Cartography; the Institute of Geography and Geoecology; the Research Institute of Animal Husbandry; the Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment; the National University of Mongolia; and the National Federation of Pasture User Groups of Herders. She also visited the Nature Conservancy Mongolia, GRÓ LRT’s newest partner organization, which will have its first fellows participating in the six-month training programme starting on February 28, 2025.

The GRÓ LRT Director’s visit to the Mongolian University of Life Sciences (MULS) was more extensive, covering both the Ulaanbaatar (UB) and Darkhan campuses. This visit was part of the GRÓ LRT and MULS Erasmus+ Mobility Project (2023–2026), which aims to further strengthen collaboration on teaching and training initiatives in restoration ecology. During the visit, the GRÓ LRT Director met with Professor Baasansukh Badarch, President of MULS; Mr. Sukhtulga Tserennadmid, Chief of International Relations and Partnership at MULS UB; and Dr. Mend-Amgalan Puntsagnamjil, Dean of Research and International Affairs at MULS Darkhan. A meeting was also held with key faculty members of the School of Agroecology at MULS UB. Additionally, the GRÓ LRT Director engaged with numerous former GRÓ LRT fellows who are now faculty members at MULS, both in UB and Darkhan. Shot seminars were conducted at both the UB and Darkhan campuses, where the GRÓ LRT Director gave a talk on the GRÓ LRT Programme and land restoration efforts in Iceland. This was followed by a presentation from a GRÓ LRT alumnus, who shared their experience of participating in the six-month training programme and pursuing a PhD in Iceland.

Finally, the GRÓ LRT Director took the opportunity to reconnect with former Mongolian GRÓ LRT fellows—now totaling 37, the largest national group of graduates from the GRÓ LRT six-month training programme. The Mongolian alumni played a key role in organizing and facilitating the Director’s visits to partner institutions. They participated in meetings to discuss ongoing cooperation between GRÓ LRT and respective institutions and delivered presentations on their research and experiences in the GRÓ LRT training. To conclude the visit, the GRÓ LRT Director hosted a dinner for the Mongolian alumni in Ulaanbaatar, providing an opportunity for further engagement and reflection.

During its regular session on February 5, 2025, the Cabinet of Mongolia granted the authority to sign the “Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod Cross Border Railway Project” Agreement to Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources of Mongolia Tuvaan Tsevegdorj and Minister of Road and Transportation of Mongolia Delgersaikhan Borkhuu.

The draft Agreement between Mongolia and the People's Republic of China on Cooperation in Increasing the Coal Trade and the Capacity of the Tavan Tolgoi Coal Mine and Establishing the Gashuunsukhait-Gantsmod Cross-Border Railway was finalized after incorporating suggestions from Members of the State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia during consultations with the relevant Standing Committee of the Parliament. Those proposals were conveyed to the Chinese side, leading to the conclusion of the Agreement.

The "Intel Extreme Masters Katowice 2025,” one of the major Counter Strike 2 tournaments organized annually by ESL, is currently underway in Katowice, the Republic of Poland.

With a prize pool of one million dollars, the tournament invited Mongolia’s “The MongolZ” to the group stage based on their world ranking. On February 3, 2025, the Mongolian team defeated “Team Liquid” 2–1 in their first group match, and the next day, they secured a 2–0 win against “GamerLegion,” a Swedish team captained by Erik “ztr” Gustafsson.

With these victories, they have qualified for the tournament’s playoffs and set a new milestone by becoming the first Asian team ever to advance to the playoffs of an IEM series. On February 5, 2025, “The MongolZ” will compete for the top spot in their group against the winner of the “Team Spirit” vs. “Natus Vincere” match.

The selection of an independent member of the Board of Directors of Golomt Bank is announced as per the provisions of Article 62.1.7 of the Company Law of Mongolia and the “Regulation on Nominating, Appointing and Dismissing Independent Members of the Board of Directors of the Bank” approved by the appendix to the Order No. A/86 of the President of the Bank of Mongolia of 2021.

Requirements for Independent Director:

Have a higher education in banking, finance, economics, and may specialize in law, information technology, or corporate governance. Have at least 10 years of professional experience, including at least five years as an authorized official in a banking and financial institution;

Not a related party and does not have any business relationship with the bank;

Not have any overdue debts under loan, guarantee, or surety agreements;

Have not been convicted of crimes against the economy, property rights, public safety and interests, corruption, national or human security, or peace;

The ethical and business reputation does not conflict with the management of the bank;

If candidate is an authorized official of an organization engaged in professional activities in the financial market, must not have a conflict of interest and must not negatively influence the decision-making activities of the bank;

If candidate was an authorized official at the time the license of a bank or non-bank financial institution was revoked due to a violation, three years must have passed since;

Not be a significant shareholder of a bank or a participant in a banking merger;

Must not have served as an authorized official other than an Independent member of the Board of Directors in the last five years or as any other employee in the last three years in a bank or participant in the banking merger;

Have not received or do not receive bonuses based on the bank's performance indicators.

There are no circumstances that would impede the supervision of the bank's operations and executive management;

Not hold any public, political or official position other than public service;

If a legal entity was bankrupt or deemed insolvent during in which the candidate was an authorized official, it must be proven that the bankruptcy or insolvency was not caused in any way by that person;

Not own, personally or jointly with an affiliated person, more than five percent of a company's common stock;

Neither the candidate nor any of his/her affiliated persons holds any position or employment in the company or any other participant in the company in which the company is a participant, or has not held any position or employment in the last 3 years;

Previous experience as a member of the Board of Directors in a company with international investment will be an advantage.

Application materials:

A) Board Independent member Identification statement; and B) Board Independent member Candidate statement approved per Appendix 1 and Appendix 2 of the Order No. A/86 of the President of the Bank of Mongolia of 2021;

Short CV (mention work experience, profession, qualifications);

Job reference;

Reference from the previous employer (obtain a reference from the organization providing employment confirming the requirements no.1);

Notarized copies of educational diplomas, certificates, other training and seminar certificates;

Copy of National ID Card;

Reference from the General Department of Court Enforcement;

Court reference (obtain from the Specialized Court Archive).

Deadline and email address for receiving selection materials:

Applications will be accepted by email to solongo_z@golomtbank.com until 12:00 PM February 19, 2025.

Notices:

Scan the materials legibly and attach them to the email in PDF format.

The materials will not be returned after the selection process.

If the deadline is missed or the materials are incomplete, it will not be possible to participate in the selection process.

Only candidates who meet the selection requirements will be contacted by the selection committee.

If necessary, additional clarifications can be obtained and materials can be prepared in accordance with the law.

The Performance Monitoring Unit for reducing air pollution and improving infrastructure in Ulaanbaatar City convened to discuss various initiatives, including resolving power shortages, introducing renewable energy heating solutions for households in ger districts, the planning and development of Hunnu City, and the installation of smart surveillance cameras at city intersections and crossings. The meeting also highlighted the digital transition of the public transport sector.

Currently, 2,606 cameras have been installed at 176 intersections and crossings throughout Ulaanbaatar City. The Video Surveillance Center has been established in the Capital City, along with nine district-level monitoring centers, integrating data from both public and private sector cameras. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is now being used to process this data.

Mayor Nyambaatar Khishgee stated, "Artificial Intelligence can analyze footage recorded by surveillance cameras. For example, it can monitor fire incidents, flood levels, and the filling status of trash bins in streets and public areas, providing real-time data to relevant authorities. Monitoring a single major intersection in the city center has detected 100,000 violations per day. Many traffic violations, including failure to follow traffic rules, are being identified. Smart cameras help track improper lane usage, traffic light violations, crossing stop lines, and other actions that obstruct traffic flow. We are also laying the foundation for AI-powered traffic violation penalties."

During the meeting, it was highlighted that Ulaanbaatar City’s public transport system has fully transitioned to a digital system. Passengers can now pay for bus fares using transportation cards, any bank card, or other digital payment methods, making the process more convenient. For instance, by installing the UBCard mobile app, passengers can pay via QR code, check their travel and recharge history, transfer unused balances, access bus routes, stops, and schedules, monitor bus occupancy, navigate routes, submit feedback or complaints, and receive updates on public transport services.

The number of public transport users in Ulaanbaatar City has increased by 14.3 percent. To further facilitate smooth bus operations, plans are in place to expand and construct new roads while enforcing priority lane regulations for buses.

Additionally, onboard surveillance cameras are now transmitting real-time footage to Video Surveillance Center, leading to a decrease in violations such as drivers using mobile phones, smoking, occupying incorrect lanes, or speeding while operating buses. Moreover, the number of passengers and the corresponding fare payments are being analyzed to ensure accuracy. LED screens have also been installed at bus stops, displaying real-time updates on bus locations and estimated arrival times.

We’re pleased to share that Landell Mills’ Communications division has been awarded a new contract titled Strategic Communication of the EU Delegation to Mongolia. The contract has a value of €749,650 and will run from January 2025 to March 2027.

The contract aims to raise awareness of the European Union as a trusted partner to Mongolia through large-scale online and offline public campaigns, and ongoing monitoring and evaluation of communication activities to assess effectiveness and impact.

The campaigns will target the general public in Mongolia, with a specific focus on youth. Landell Mills will also engage with the media, and key political and opinion leaders in the country, who will act as multipliers and support promotion of the campaigns.

Landell Mills’ team will be responsible for the development and implementation of a communication strategy and plan for the EU Delegation to Mongolia, which will involve:

the production and sharing of content across print, broadcast and digital channels.

the organisation of online and offline events.

the design of out-of-home activations.