Salary clarification referral for clinical psychologists inadmissible under Article 521(3) Civil Procedure Code

The High Court of Cassation and Justice (Înalta Curte de Casaţie şi Justiţie), sitting as a panel for the resolution of questions of law, dismissed as inadmissible the referral made by the Ploieşti Court of Appeal – First Civil Section, seeking clarification of whether the 10% base salary increase provided by point 51 of Annex No. II to Framework Law No. 153/2017 applies to practicing psychologists with a certificate for free practice in clinical psychology working in social assistance units. The court ruled against the referring court, and no substantive interpretation was given; the referral was rejected on procedural grounds. The dispute involved an application for a preliminary ruling on a question of law concerning the interpretation of statutory salary provisions for public-sector employees. The decisive legal basis was the procedural inadmissibility of the referral, as the court found the question did not meet the statutory conditions for an admissible preliminary ruling under Article 521(3) of the Civil Procedure Code, which makes the decision binding.