The duties and responsibilities of employers in Azerbaijan are being expanded to ensure gender equality in the workplace.
Operative Information Center-OMM reports that new amendments to the Labor Code have been proposed to guarantee equal pay for employees performing work of equal value.
What new obligations await employers?
According to the amendments discussed today during a meeting of the Milli Majlis (National Assembly) Committee for Labor and Social Policy, employers will be required to provide equal wages to employees performing the same or different work of equal value.
Another proposed change to the Code stipulates that employers are obliged to pay equal wages to employees performing work of equal value, regardless of their gender. The value of the work will be determined by the employer, taking into account working conditions, the nature of the labor function, and the qualification characteristics specified in the unified tariff-qualification reference books.
Gender equality and international obligations
The document emphasizes that in accordance with Convention No. 100 of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the European Social Charter, equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value must be fully ensured.
Current legislation in Azerbaijan applies this principle only within the framework of "identical or similar work" and does not cover the broader concept of "work of equal value." The necessity to amend the legislation arises from these international obligations to ensure gender equality in the field of wages across the country.
Under the project, the Labor Code will be amended to specify the employer's obligation to provide equal pay and to strengthen the prevention of gender-based discrimination in the wage system.
Regulating the concept of "work of equal value"
The project also includes proposed changes to the Law "On Guarantees of Gender (Men and Women) Equality." According to the document, wages must be paid not only for identical or similar work but also for work of equal value.
Thus, regardless of gender, employees working in the same workplace, possessing the same qualification level, working under the same conditions, and performing work of equal value must receive the same salary, as well as bonuses and other material incentives. The current rule is more limited than the standard of equal pay for work of equal value, as it does not apply to men and women performing different tasks that hold the same value. In this regard, Article 9.1 of the law is proposed in a new edition.
This legislative initiative aligns with Azerbaijan's ongoing social reforms aimed at modernizing the labor market and harmonizing national laws with international standards. By strengthening legal protections against the gender pay gap, Azerbaijan seeks to foster a more inclusive economic environment and enhance the social welfare of all citizens in the Republic.
