Azerbaijan plans to introduce hourly wages, particularly for employment contracts lasting less than a month or for jobs involving no more than 20 hours a week, as outlined in a draft law amending the Labor Code, Report informs.
Hourly pay will be applied in specific economic sectors and at workplaces created by individual employers, with a designated state body approving the exact list of eligible sectors. State-funded organizations will also be allowed to use this payment method if their current wage system permits it.
The draft law establishes minimum guarantees for workers, stipulating that the pay for each hour worked cannot fall below a set minimum hourly wage. This minimum hourly wage must be higher than the hourly rate calculated from the standard minimum monthly salary. If an employee works for less than an hour in a day, they must still receive the full minimum hourly rate, and any partial subsequent hour will also be counted and paid as a full hour.
Additionally, the amendments mandate a complete transition to electronic salary payments. Employers will be required to transfer all wages to a bank account chosen by the employee, which will help authorities monitor payment timeliness, ensure labor law compliance, and strengthen the fight against informal employment.