Latest news with #LaborLawAmendment
Jordan News
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
Jordan's House of Representatives Approves 90-Day Maternity Leave - Jordan News
On Monday, the House of Representatives approved, by majority vote, Article 11 of the 2024 amendment to the Labor Law. The decision of the House of Representatives aligned with the Labor Committee's recommendation, and it stipulates the following: "Article 70 of the original law shall be amended by removing the phrase '10 weeks' and replacing it with '90 continuous days.'" اضافة اعلان In the original law, Article 70 stated: "A female worker is entitled to maternity leave with full pay, both before and after childbirth, totaling ten weeks, provided that no less than six weeks of the leave are taken after childbirth. She is prohibited from working before this period has elapsed." Earlier, in a session held on March 5, the House of Representatives approved Article 6 of the "Amendment to the Labor Law," which prohibits the dismissal of a pregnant woman during any period of her pregnancy. The approved text of the article reads: "The first clause of paragraph A of Article 27 of the original law is repealed and replaced with the following text: 1. A female worker during her pregnancy and maternity leave." Paragraph A of Article 27 in the original Labor Law previously stated: "1. A pregnant female worker starting from the sixth month of her pregnancy or during maternity leave." The reasons for the "Labor Law Amendment" include harmonizing the Labor Law with Social Security Law, considering occupational diseases as one of the work injuries, and unifying the medical reference for handling work-related injuries for workers subject to Social Security Law. The amendment also aims to apply the work injury and occupational disease schedules associated with the Social Security Law to workers who are not subject to it, providing further protection. It seeks to balance the interests of both workers and employers within specific controls and mechanisms, as well as to reorganize the use of foreign labor in the Jordanian labor market, ensuring compliance with the law. The law also seeks to establish procedures for dealing with foreign workers who leave their jobs in violation of the Labor Law. Additionally, it focuses on protecting female workers' rights during pregnancy and maternity leave by extending the duration of maternity leave, safeguarding the worker's right to sick leave based on their health condition, and providing paid leave in the event of the death of a close family member.
Jordan News
06-03-2025
- Politics
- Jordan News
Al-Safadi: There Are No Political Prisoners in Jordan - Jordan News
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmad Al-Safadi, has given the government a 24-hour deadline to respond to the lawmakers' demands for including all students applying for scholarships and loans, urging the government to avoid any further delays in implementing this. اضافة اعلان Medical Exemptions Return to Discussion The MPs have revisited the issue of medical exemptions, arguing that the government could provide them by cutting excess spending in various areas. Several lawmakers increased their criticism of the government, claiming it does not listen to their demands, especially regarding issues such as scholarships, loans, medical exemptions, high electricity and water bills, and traffic violations. The MPs from the Islamic Action Front Party called for the release of detainees, with their families holding a sit-in outside the parliament gate. These statements prompted Speaker Al-Safadi to intervene, stating, "There are no political prisoners in Jordan; anyone who violates the law must be held accountable." Suleiman Al-Zaben, the head of the Parliamentary Freedoms Committee, confirmed that the government maintains there are no political prisoners in the Kingdom. Additionally, the MPs agreed to form a temporary committee to amend the internal regulations of the parliament. This took place during a session chaired by Al-Safadi, with several government team members in attendance. During the session, the parliament continued discussing the draft amendment to the Labor Law, agreeing on a modification stipulating that if a work contract is for a fixed period, it automatically ends when its duration expires. If both parties continue to execute the contract after its expiration, it will be considered renewed for an equivalent period. The original version of the law stated that if both parties continued executing the contract after its expiration, it would automatically become an indefinite-term contract. The labor law amendment has sparked wide debate since its approval by the government. The General Union of Workers, trade unions, and civil society organizations expressed their surprise at the amendments presented by the government, viewing them as a step backward. However, they praised other amendments included in the draft law. Arab Summit During the session, MP Khamees Atteh praised the outcomes of the Arab Summit held in Cairo the day before, particularly appreciating His Majesty King Abdullah II's speech at the summit, in which he expressed Jordan's firm stance against forced displacement. The Chairman of the Palestine Committee, MP Suleiman Al-Saud, also expressed his support for the King's words, emphasizing that they reflect the views of every Jordanian citizen. Labor Law While discussing the "Labor Law Amendment," the MPs approved an amendment to Article 31, which allows employers to lay off approximately 5% of their workforce within a year, if required by economic or technical circumstances, such as downsizing or permanently ceasing operations, provided the Ministry of Labor is notified. Additionally, they approved a modification that prohibits employers from terminating the employment of women during pregnancy or maternity leave. The amendment received approval from the Parliamentary Labor Committee, whereas the original law only prohibited termination of female employees starting from the sixth month of pregnancy and during maternity leave.
