06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Many employers discriminated by age; particularly women had little chance of finding jobs appropriate to their education or skills ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20376]

"Many employers discriminated by age, most commonly requiring that job applicants be between the ages of 18 and 30. After the age of 40, workers, particularly women, had little chance of finding jobs appropriate to their education or skills."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

The law provides for collective bargaining but in practice there was none ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20378]

"The law allows unions to conduct their activities without interference. Although the law provides for collective bargaining, in practice there was none. Factory directors generally set pay scales without consulting employees. Regular or economic courts arbitrated labor disputes."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

The law prohibits retaliation against strikers, although it sometimes occurred ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20379]

"The law provides for the right to strike, except for members of the armed services and law enforcement agencies, but workers rarely went on strike. The law also prohibits retaliation against strikers, although it sometimes occurred.
In June 2005 the Ararat Gold Recovery Company (AGRC) fired 24 employees at its gold mining facility near Zod, allegedly for organizing a May 2005 strike over wages and workplace safety. AGRC initially dismissed 463 employees and required them to reapply for their positions; it did not rehire 11 employees who were members of the Lernagorts labor union and 13 unaffiliated employees. Four sued AGRC for reinstatement. One won the court case and was rehired but was fired again soon after. The other three lost their cases. AGRC maintained it fired the employees on legitimate grounds."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Monthly minimum wage did not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20381]

"The government sets the minimum wage by decree. The monthly minimum wage of approximately $55.60 (20,000 drams) did not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. While businesses generally observed the law for their registered employees, there were reports that employers did not register some employees and paid them lower than minimum wage. In 2004, the most recent year for which information was available, 6.4 percent of the population lived on less than $1 per day, while 34.6 percent lived on slightly more than that amount. The government did not enforce the minimum wage law effectively."

Document(s): Open document

06.03.2007 - Source: US Department of State

Workweek set at 40 hours; workers have legal right to remove themselves from work situations that endangered health and safety ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2006") [ID 20382]

"The law sets the workweek at 40 hours and provides for mandatory rest periods and overtime compensation. In the mining sector, employers allow limited sick leave with the presentation of a medical certificate. There were reports that employers fired employees who took extended sick leave.
In April 2005 the Employment Service Agency officially replaced the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs as the government's chief enforcement agency for workers' rights, occupational health, and safety standards. In its second year, the inspectorate made little progress toward implementing an inspection regime or the requirements of the labor code.
Workers had the legal right to remove themselves from work situations that endangered health and safety, but they were unlikely to do so because such an action would place their employment at risk, and jobs were scarce. The law requires the government to set occupational and health standards, but by year's end the government had not done so."

Document(s): Open document

08.03.2006 - Source: US Department of State

Minimum wage set by decree; workweek legally set at 40 hours; workers removing themselves from dangerous work situations jeopardise their future employment ("Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2005") [#46111],  [ID 17312]

"The government sets the minimum wage by decree. The monthly minimum wage of approximately $26 (13 thousand AMD) did not provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Approximately 43 percent of the population lived below the poverty line of about $60 (30 thousand AMD) or less per month. An estimated 15 percent of the population was considered extremely poor, with a monthly income of less than $30 (15 thousand AMD). The government did not effectively enforce the minimum wage law.

The law sets the workweek at 40 hours and provides for mandatory rest periods and overtime compensation. On April 19, the State Labor Inspectorate officially replaced the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs as the government's chief enforcement agency for workers' rights, occupational health, and safety standards. By years end the inspectorate had made little progress toward implementing an inspection regime or the requirements of the new labor code.

Workers had the right to remove themselves from work situations that endangered health and safety, although in practice, doing so likely jeopardized their future employment, especially for those persons who worked in the shadow economy. The law requires the government to set occupational and health standards, but by year's end the government had not adopted standards."

Document(s): Open document