An overview of women’s work and employment in Azerbaijan
if they initiated complaints; this was especially true for persons working in the public sector (US Dept of
State 2009, 2010; ILO Natlex).
The Labour Code and the Act on Leaves of 19 July 1994 jointly provide for a 40-hour workweek; the
maximum daily work shift is 12 hours. Workers in hazardous occupations may not work more than 36 hours
per week. The law requires lunch and rest periods, which are determined by labour contracts and collective
agreements (ILO Natlex). In the informal economy the government did not enforce contracts or labour
laws (US Dept of State 2010). Through the Act of 29 September 1992 on labour protection, the country
has a rather extensive occupational health and safety legislation (ILO Natlex). However, government inspec-
tions of working conditions seem weak and ineffective, and health and safety standards widely ignored. The
only trade union confederation, ATUC (Azerbaijani Trade Union Confederation, or Azerbaycan Hemkar-
lar Ittifaqlari Konfederasiyasi, AHIK), monitored compliance with labour and trade regulations, including
safety and health conditions. In this field, the ATUC received 236,220 complaints in 2008. Conversely, the
Ministry of Labour reported receiving only one complaint (US Dept of State 2010). In December 2009,
the parliament approved amendments on the Labour and Family Codes, laying down that children under 15
years of age cannot be employed (NN 2009d).
Of particular relevance for the young female target group of the DECISIONS FOR LIFE project is the
following labour legislation (ILO-Travail database; ILO Natlex):
• the probation period is limited to three months (Act of 21 May 1996 on individual labour contracts);
• the employer must give employees two months’ notice regarding changes in conditions of employ-
ment (Act of 21 May 1996 on individual labour contracts);
• the contracts of pregnant women or women with children under three years of age may not be termi-
nated by the employer (Act of 21 May 1996 on individual labour contracts);
• main leave (holidays) shall be provided with a minimum of 21 calendar days; employees aged 16 to 18
years shall be provided with 36 days of leave (Act on Leaves of 19 July 1994);
• working women are provided with 126 calendar days of paid maternity leave for the period of preg-
nancy (70 calendar days) and the period after childbirth (56 days). Irrespective of the actually used
number of leave days delivered before the childbirth, (100%) leave money shall be paid at the expense
of the State Social Protection Fund (Act on Leaves of 19 July 1994);
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