At today's meeting of the Milli Majlis Committee on Labor and Social Policy, amendments to the Labor Code were discussed and recommended to the plenary session. According to the new amendments, the article outlining the employer's duties is being improved, and ensuring equal remuneration for employees performing the same or equivalent work, regardless of gender, is established as an obligation.
At the same time, by adding a new part to Article 154 of the Code, it is envisaged that the objective evaluation of work of equal value will be determined by employers, taking into account working conditions, the nature of the labor function, and the tariff-qualification characteristics stipulated in the current Unified Tariff-Qualification Reference Books.
Modern.az reports that MP Vugar Bayramov commented on this change.
He stated that the new amendment aims to further minimize the wage gap between women and men:
"Currently, the average salary of women across the country is approximately 70 percent of men's wages. In international practice, 80 percent and higher is considered more acceptable. It is true that in Azerbaijan, the gender wage gap is influenced by the greater involvement of men in several sectors, especially in the mining industry.
Nevertheless, after the new amendments proposed to the legislation, increases in women's salaries may be observed in several sectors. This is because the requirements and duties for employers in this area are further clarified. This will lead to a further reduction in the difference between the average wages of women and men".
