Changes are planned regarding the payment periods for salaries. The issue is reflected in the bill on amendments to the Labor Code, which was discussed at an online meeting of the Milli Majlis's Regional Policy Committee on December 3.
According to current legislation, monthly salaries should generally be paid to employees in two installments (advance and remaining amount), twice a month with intervals not exceeding sixteen days. Employees whose salaries are calculated on an annual basis receive their salary at least once a month.
Ölkə.az reports that Vugar Bayramov, a member of the Milli Majlis Committee on Labor and Social Policy, stated in an interview with Modern.az that the implementation of the new system serves to regulate the labor market as a whole, as well as the relationship between employee and employer, in a manner more consistent with international standards.
“Because if we consider that the legislation of a number of countries has specific rules regarding the payment of salaries several times a month, this covers both the state and private sectors. As a result, the legislation allows the employee to receive their monthly salary not only once, but in some cases, twice or more times a month. This effectively means that the monthly salary is divided into certain periods and paid.”
The deputy emphasized that another important point is that this approach is particularly important for employees in terms of proper planning of their personal and family budgets. In his opinion, receiving income at shorter intervals makes planning expenses and managing the budget easier:
“Currently, this process does not create an additional burden for employers. This is because salary calculation, tax payments, and relevant reporting have been digitized. This prevents any risks from arising. On the contrary, one of the main reasons for transitioning to the new system is precisely the extensive digitization of processes in both the state and private sectors. Digitization, in turn, allows for procedures to be carried out more efficiently and transparently,” said V. Bayramov.
It should be noted that according to the draft, after the amendment, salaries must be paid to employees at least once a month. Additionally, if there is mutual agreement between the parties, the monthly salary can be divided into two parts (advance and remaining amount) as per the previous rule and paid twice a month with intervals not exceeding sixteen days.