Armenia introducing out-of-court system for resolving labor disputes

YEREVAN, October 14. /ARKA/. A draft law introducing a new out-of-court mechanism for resolving labor disputes has been introduced in Armenia.

According to Zhora Sargsyan, the Head of the Labor and Employment Department at the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, who spoke at a press conference on Tuesday, the proposed legislation seeks to amend the existing process whereby an employee must immediately resort to the court when a labor dispute occurs.

"The proposed law aims to create a commission that will examine labor disputes and address any issues that may arise. Both employees and employers will have the opportunity to present their cases to this commission if they encounter problems with one another. This initiative is expected to facilitate a quicker resolution of labor disputes between employers and employees. During the commission's examination of disputes, the involved parties will have the chance to negotiate a settlement and withdraw their application," Sargsyan remarked.

The commission is set to be formed within the Health and Labor Inspectorate under the government . It will comprise three members: one representative from the Health and Labor Inspectorate, one from the National Union of Employers, and one from the Confederation of Trade Unions of Armenia.

Sargsyan nderscored that the commission will function pro bono (for applicants), which will alleviate the pressure on the courts hearing such cases. -0-