A representative of Baraka savdo has raised objections against the new state system responsible for automatically assigning sick leave benefits. The company asserts that the state system is using the Baraka trademark, for which it holds the rights.
Trademark Registration History
This statement was made during an open dialogue organized by the Confederation of Employers of Uzbekistan. According to the representative, the Baraka trademark was officially registered with the Intellectual Property Agency back in 2021, significantly preceding the implementation of the similarly named state information system for sick pay.
Company Position and Dialogue
Baraka savdo, which specializes in selling furniture and household appliances, believes that the use of this name in the state digital service may violate its exclusive rights to the registered mark. The company representative emphasized that they have been operating officially in Uzbekistan for five years. He also clarified that the registered trademark is specifically 'Baraka', without any additional words, unlike the official enterprise name which includes the word 'savdo'.
Reaction and Discussion of Issues
The Chairman of the Confederation of Employers of Uzbekistan, Davron Vakhabov, noted that this issue requires legal expertise and called for the urgent finding of a specialist to resolve it. At the time of publication, no official comments had been received from the developers of the state system or authorized agencies regarding the claims made.
Furthermore, at the same meeting, businessmen, HR staff, and government representatives discussed several shortcomings in working with the new system. Issues raised included difficulties for employees working in multiple organizations simultaneously, problems with payments in IT Park resident companies, and the persistent requirement from auditors to provide paper sick notes.
New Payment Mechanism
It should be recalled that since the end of June, an updated mechanism for assigning temporary disability benefits has been operational in Uzbekistan. Payments are now processed proactively through the Baraka social insurance information module. This means that applications and paper certificates are not required; after the electronic sick leave is processed, the system automatically calculates the benefit amount and transfers the funds to the recipient.