Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2013, published 103rd ILC session (2014)

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 October 2012 contains detailed replies to its 2011 direct request. It also notes the observations provided by the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia. The Government identifies two programmes on employment regulation aimed at ensuring efficient employment for young people and persons with disabilities. The number of jobseekers decreased by 12.3 per cent from 93,200 to 81,700 during the period of 2011–12. Of those 81,700 jobseekers, 85 per cent were unemployed, and, of those unemployed, 70.6 per cent were women. During that same period, 10,786 jobseekers were employed, of whom 6,359 were women and 3,001 were young people. The Committee notes that unemployment slightly increased from 20.7 per cent in 2011 to 20.9 per cent in 2012. The Republican Union of Employers of Armenia indicates that the unemployment rate is higher, as the one provided in the Government’s report only takes into account applicants who have registered with the State Employment Service Agency. The Committee notes that the economically active population has constantly left for seasonal, medium-term or long-term employment abroad over the past two years. The Government indicates that the country’s low employment rate should be understood in conjunction with the low unemployment rate for women and young people. It also indicates that the city of Yerevan and the provinces of Lori, Shirak, Kotayq, Syunik and Tavush reported higher unemployment rates than the national average. On the other hand, the provinces of Ararat, Armavir, Gegharquniq, Aragatsotn and Vayots Dzor generally have higher employment rates than the national average because of their agricultural employment. The Committee further notes that the Government provided information on the distribution of the labour force by sector, education, age, and length of unemployment. The Committee invites the Government to provide in its next report information on the impact of the various labour market measures implemented on the employment situation, including specific measures undertaken to encourage sustainable regional development and to improve labour market indicators in underprivileged regions. As in its previous comments, the Committee would appreciate receiving updated 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. Building labour market institutions. The Government reports that the activities of private employment agencies have been left out of the State employment regulation policy, with no efficient collaboration with the State Employment Service Agency. The Committee notes that the National Employment Strategy 2013–18 was developed by the Government to review employment policy and the regulation of employment. The Government reports that, in Governmental Decision No. 51 of 29 December 2011, it envisages the ratification of the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181). However, the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia expressed its concern that the economy is not ready to ensure the implementation of Convention No. 181. Private employment agencies are carrying out other employment-related actions that were not described in the report. In its 2010 General Survey concerning employment instruments, the Committee highlighted that the employment services are necessary institutions for the achievement of full employment. In conjunction with the Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122), the Private Employment Agencies Convention, 1997 (No. 181), and the Employment Service Convention, 1948 (No. 88), form a necessary building block for employment growth (General Survey, 2010, paragraphs 785–790). The Committee would appreciate receiving in the next report additional information on the strengthening of employment services and on new measures taken to build institutions for the realization of full employment.

Employment and training policy. The Government indicates that the State Programme to Develop Education from 2011–15 will harmonize the education system with the needs of the labour market. It reports that the programme provides for education standards to match the modern requirements of the economy, reform of primary vocational (handicraft) and secondary vocational programmes, and graduate development and professional training and education (PTE), as well as 12 multifunctional regional colleges. The Committee notes the Government’s commitment to re-examine the measurement standard of professional education, implement the three-degree European system, establish the National Centre for Quality of Professional Education, and provide colleges with new laboratories and technical machinery. The Government indicates that the National Framework of Qualifications is the main tool to ensure quality contact between the economy, the labour market and the education system. The Committee notes that the system of professional orientation aims to provide guidance to foster professional preferences in the youth population. The system of professional orientation will develop methodological guides and manuals and train specialists working in schools, colleges, universities, employment services, and NGOs. The Committee notes several reforms proposed by the Government, such as enlarging the social partnership from 2012–16, implementing the Professional Training and Education National Qualification Framework, providing accessibility for persons in need of special educational conditions, and creating career centres within professional training and education centres. The Government reports that the employers and trade unions are represented in the State educational institutions’ councils (collegial management bodies), providing an avenue for the social partners to help orient education to respond to the needs of the growing economy. The Committee invites the Government to include information in its next report on the results of the reforms undertaken in terms of fostering both vocational training and education.

Undeclared work. The Government outlines a risk-based control system to monitor and detect undeclared work and the use of illegal labour. The Government reports that the State Labour Inspectorate will assess and analyse the institutions subject to its control based on the employer’s risk factors, such as loss of guarantees made to employees in the labour legislation, collective agreements, and any change in the rights and legal status to the detriment of the employees. The Government indicates that those assessments will be recorded in a database in order to increase the efficiency of the implemented supervisory administrative functions. The Committee notes the suggestions of the Republican Union of Employers of Armenia to introduce terms of reference (for example, “non-registered workers”) for workers to address the issue of shadow wages and the use of illegal labour, as well as to implement other progressive methods of social payments and income tax. The Committee invites the Government to include in its next report information on the impact of the measures undertaken with a view to reducing the number of undeclared workers and to facilitate their integration into the formal economy.

Article 3. Participation of social partners. The Government recalls that national legislation provides for broad opportunities for cooperation with the social partners in the field of employment. It further reports that the Republic Union of Employers of Armenia actively participates in the development of employment plans by submitting suggestions to the drafts. Specifically, the Government highlights the republican and local agreement committees, which allow for direct participation in the development and implementation of state employment programmes and in round table discussions and seminars on employment and labour market analysis. The Government reports that 204 sessions of the republican and local agreement committees were held in 2011 and 148 business programmes were assessed for workers with disabilities and unemployed workers. Additionally, the Government reports that, since the start of 2012, negotiations are under way to conclude a new Republic Collective Agreement. The Republican Union of Employers of Armenia indicates that the inclusion of the President of the Union of Employers in government sessions on labour legislation and discussions of other socio-economic questions directly related to labour legislation might be difficult to implement. The Committee invites the Government to indicate in its next report the way in which the experiences and opinions of the social partners were taken into account in the formulation and implementation of employment policy measures.