Taraz Social Workers Go 11 Months Without Pay Amid Contract Dispute

A scandal has erupted in Taraz involving the public association for disabled people Sattilik Syry. Social workers providing in-home care for children with disabilities say they have not been paid for 11 months, Orda.kz reports.

These workers assist families with caregiving, daily support, and household tasks. Yet since early this year, compensation for their services has stopped entirely — a problem affecting only Taraz, while districts continue to receive funding on schedule.

Sattilik Syry obtained its license to provide social services on January 22, 2025, and, like other providers, operated on a per-capita financing model. But according to the organization’s chair, Saken Kabdullin, a technical problem at the city level halted payments.

Sattilik Syry officially received its license to provide social services on January 22, 2025. The organization, like other providers, operated on a per-capita basis. However, a technical issue arose in Taraz. The state program simply doesn't have the functionality to process payments. Social workers continue to work without payments, hoping the issue will soon be resolved,
 Kabdullin told an Orda.kz reporter.

It later became clear that the Taraz employment department had never signed a contract with the association. Workers were told to transfer to another organization even though Sattilik Syry had been serving the families.

The social workers have appealed everywhere they can — the city employment department, the Ministry of Labor, even the courts — but the issue remains unresolved. Officials keep redirecting them to different agencies, creating what employees describe as a bureaucratic dead end.

Taraz resident Jamila Kadimova recorded a video address:

Social workers haven't been paid for 11 months. Where's the money allocated by the state? Why aren't the akim and social services addressing this problem?
 she stated.

When contacted by Orda.kz, the employment department confirmed that no contract had been concluded with Sattilik Syry, making payment impossible. Workers were offered transfers to another organization, Shamshyrak-Taraz.

Two accepted. The rest continue waiting for the salaries they are owed.

Original Author: Islambek Dastan