Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Armenia (Ratification: 1994)

Article 1 of the Convention. Implementation of an active employment policy. The Committee notes that the Government’s report received in November 2010 includes detailed replies to its previous comments. It also notes the comments by the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia. The Government indicates that its national employment policy is aimed at creating conditions for full and efficient employment of the population through: unemployment reduction; promotion of decent work; efficient integration of socially vulnerable groups into the labour market; improvement of living standards; raising economic efficiency and competitiveness; and regional development. The Government further indicates that employment programmes are being developed and implemented through measures aimed at reducing unemployment, increasing job placement possibilities, and raising competitiveness of jobseekers in the labour market. In 2009, 178,000 persons had benefited from consultation services in territorial employment centres. From this total, 99,993 persons were registered as jobseekers, and 82,901 of them were unemployed (58,638 of which were women). In the same year, 9,057 jobseekers found a job, 4,690 of whom found a temporary job. Young persons accounted for 23.6 per cent of persons placed in employment. In December 2009, the unemployment rate was 7.1 per cent, compared to 6.3 per cent at the beginning of 2009. The Committee notes the employment programmes implemented in 2009, such as the Paid Public Work programme which employed 4,690 persons through 306 projects. The Committee notes that a draft law to amend the employment legislation was submitted to the Government and aims to increase job placement opportunities for young people and persons with disabilities through: the organization of work practice at the employer’s premises for young people and persons with disabilities who have a profession but do not have work experience; the accommodation of business establishments to facilitate the employment of persons with disabilities; and the organization of job fairs. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report an evaluation of the employment policies and measures implemented. Please provide data concerning the size and distribution of the labour force, the nature and extent of unemployment and underemployment and trends therein, by region, as a basis for deciding on employment policy measures.

Article 2. Coordination of the employment policy with the poverty reduction strategy. The Government indicates that it approved the Sustainable Development Program (SDP) in 2008, which is the revised version of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper being implemented since 2003. The main strategic objectives of the SDP are economic growth, the implementation of a targeted social policy, the development and implementation of an efficient employment policy, and the increase of the public administration efficiency. The creation of jobs is the most important poverty reduction measure and, in this regard, the Government is promoting investments and assistance to businesses. The mid-term expenditure programme for 2010–13 envisages a reduction of the consequences of the global financial and economic crisis, and economic growth through poverty reduction and an increase of employment. The Republican Union of Employers of Armenia indicated that it supported the establishment of a branch union of private employment agencies which drafted a Code of Conduct based on ILO provisions. In its General Survey of 2010 on employment instruments, the Committee highlighted that the employment services are part of the necessary institutions for the achievement of full employment. In conjunction with Convention No. 122 and the Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88), the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181) form a necessary building block for employment growth (see General Survey, op. cit., paragraphs 785–790). The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the new measures taken to build institutions for the realization of full employment.

Education and training policies. The Government indicates that the Centre for Professional Orientation of Young People started providing services in January 2008. In that year, 1,549 persons benefited from the services and, in 2009, the Centre worked with 5,000 young persons, including public school students, young jobseekers, and young people from Yerevan and regions in need of re training. The Government indicates that through the development and implementation of targeted programmes (training, meetings between employee/employers, group discussions), the Centre helps young persons develop skills and capabilities needed to increase their competitiveness in the labour market. The Government intends to strengthen the links between the education system and the labour market, such as vocational education and training programmes, and the draft programme and statute for the creation of a National Training Fund, directed by a tripartite board. Within the framework of a loan agreement with an international development agency, a vocational training and rehabilitation of job skills centre for unemployed persons with disabilities was created in Gyumri with the aim to implement the administration of social protection programmes. The centre for persons with disabilities in Gyumri is cooperating with the State Employment Service’s regional centre in the same location. The regional employment centre is conducting a research on the labour market and is cooperating with local employers in order to create new jobs, obtain information on job vacancies, and preserve current jobs for persons with disabilities. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the coordination between the education system and the labour market needs so as to address the employment situation of the most vulnerable jobseekers, such as young people and persons with disabilities. Please also provide information on the role of the social partners in the development of education and training policies.

Undeclared work. The Government indicates that the discovery of persons working in the informal economy and their transfer to the formal economy is one of the statutory functions of the State Labour Inspection. According to information from the Excise Tax Department and the State Revenues Committee, 1417 inspections were carried out in 2008 which resulted in the discovery of 1192 undeclared employees and in the collection of unpaid social insurance benefits. In 2009, 2956 inspections resulted in the discovery of 2296 undeclared workers, and 521 in the first quarter of 2010. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on policy approaches as well as on curative and preventative measures adopted to address the issue of undeclared work and on their impact on the labour market.

Article 3. Participation of social partners in the formulation and application of policies. The Committee notes that a Republican Collective Agreement was signed on 27 April 2009 between the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia, the Confederation of Trade Unions and the Government. According to the Agreement, a Tripartite Republican Committee was established. The social partners agreed that drafts of labour-related legislative texts shall be submitted for approval to the Tripartite Republican Committee before they are adopted by the competent authority. The Government further reports that employers, territorial administrations and local self-governing bodies participate directly in the drafting and implementation of the employment policy through the elaboration, implementation and monitoring of yearly employment projects. The Committee notes from the information submitted by the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia that employers are actively participating in employment policy development and implementation, and also developed, in 2009, a youth employment policy which was submitted to the Government. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information on the employment measures adopted following consultations with the social partners.