168 inspections, 3 fatalities: Labor law violations in Armenia
Labor law violations in Armenia
On Labor Day, celebrated on May 1st in Armenia, human rights defender Anahit Manasyan addressed the public, highlighting issues with the implementation of labor rights in the country. The Ombudsman’s office received numerous complaints from individuals demanding their rights to safe and decent working conditions, rest, fair wages, and overtime pay.
Simultaneously, the Inspection Body for Health and Labor reported conducting 168 inspections in the first quarter of 2024 to identify possible violations of labor law and safety norms. The construction sector had the highest number of violations.
“There are cases where not all workers wear personal protective equipment, interfloor staircases at heights are not equipped, and other unacceptable violations exist,” said Vahagn Grigoryan, deputy head of the Inspection Body.
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Fines totaling nearly $150 million were issued over three months
In just the first quarter of 2024, three fatalities were recorded due to safety violations. Deputy Head of the Inspection Body, Vahagn Grigoryan, suggests revising the fine amounts, especially regarding accidents:
“For instance, a workplace lacked proper conditions leading to an incident. The fine for such a violation is 130,000 drams [around $340]. I believe this is insufficient.“
Grigoryan stated that fines totaling over 57 million drams [approximately $150 million] have already been issued this year.
According to Grigoryan, the Inspection Body intends to initiate temporary suspension of organizations violating norms in certain cases. This matter is being discussed with parliamentary colleagues.
The most common violations identified during inspections in the first three months of this year included delays in salary payments, failure to provide annual leave, unjustified changes in working conditions, and non-compliance with existing norms regarding final settlements upon contract termination.
A significant positive change noted within the Inspection Body is the active pursuit of rights by citizens. Numerous calls and letters are received from both employees and employers seeking clarification on their rights and obligations.
What are the citizens’ complaints?
Human rights defender Anahit Manasyan considers one of the most common problems to be employers failing to fulfill their obligations when people are dismissed. Organizations often do not provide the final settlement at all, or they fulfill their obligations to employees incompletely. There are also cases of final settlements being made without complying with the deadlines set by law.
“Among the complaints received by the Ombudsman’s office, the issue of the lack of selection criteria when staff reductions occur in organizations is often raised,” said Anahit Manasyan.
The defender also notes certain discrimination in the labor market. She emphasizes the need for:
- Addressing the problem of the underrepresentation of women in the labor market.
- Creating legislative and practical effective mechanisms to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace.
- Manasyan said that continuing efforts to protect the labor rights of people with disabilities and creating a favorable working environment for them are of particular priority.
“I also consider it important to take appropriate measures to ensure state oversight of labor rights in the private sector. It is also important to take measures aimed at increasing awareness of labor rights among both workers and employers,” she said.
