Amman, Aug. 25 (Petra)-- Minister of Transport and Minister of Labor Nidal Al-Qatamin has instructed the Labor Ministry’s inspection directorate to develop a comprehensive plan to strengthen oversight of the labor market and ensure private-sector establishments comply with requirements to provide workplace nurseries or approved alternatives when they are unable to establish them.

The plan will also verify employers’ compliance with legally mandated employment quotas for persons with disabilities.

Al-Qatamin stressed that the plan should initially focus on guidance and awareness for employers across various economic sectors and activities in all governorates. This will include holding awareness workshops in cooperation with chambers of industry and commerce and representatives of other economic sectors to familiarize employers with legal requirements concerning workplace nurseries, alternative arrangements, and the employment of persons with disabilities.

In a ministry statement issued Tuesday, Al-Qatamin said the purpose of the plan is not to impose penalties or issue violations, but rather to raise employers’ awareness of the provisions of the Labor Law and promote a safe and attractive working environment for private-sector employees, particularly women and persons with disabilities.

He underscored the importance of awareness and guidance before resorting to issuing violations against non-compliant establishments, instructing inspection teams to complete the awareness and advisory phase before moving to intensified inspection campaigns and taking legal action against establishments that fail to comply with the law.

Under Article 72(A) of the Labor Law, an employer who employs workers at a single workplace and whose employees have at least 15 children aged no more than five years must provide a suitable facility staffed by one or more caregivers to look after the children. The same article allows employers to jointly establish such a facility within a shared geographic area.

Under the 2023 Instructions on Alternatives to Workplace Nurseries, issued pursuant to Article 72(B) of the Labor Law, employers unable to establish a suitable facility for the care of employees’ children are required to provide alternative arrangements in accordance with the instructions.

Regarding the employment of persons with disabilities, Article 13 of the Labor Law requires employers to employ persons with disabilities at the rate specified under the applicable Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Article 25(E) of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities stipulates that, without prejudice to the educational or professional qualifications required for a job or position, governmental and non-governmental entities employing between 25 and 50 workers and employees must employ at least one person with a disability. Where the number of workers and employees exceeds 50, such entities must allocate up to 4 percent of their vacancies to persons with disabilities, in accordance with regulations set by the Ministry of Labor.

//Petra// MF