Baku: Azerbaijan has introduced a legislative amendment mandating equal pay for work of equal value, irrespective of gender. This development comes as part of a broader initiative to ensure gender equality in the workplace, as reported by APA.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the amendments to the Labor Code, approved by President Ilham Aliyev, require employers to provide equal wages to employees performing either the same or different work that is of equal value. The responsibility of determining the value of work lies with the employer, who must consider factors such as working conditions, the nature of the labor function, and the tariff-qualification characteristics outlined in the unified tariff-qualification reference books currently in use.

The amendment also revises Article 9.1 of the law 'On Guarantees of Gender (Men and Women) Equality.' It clarifies that employers are obligated to ensure that employees receive equal pay for work of equal value, regardless of gender. The criteria for determining the equal value of work must align with the Labor Code's requirements, taking into account relevant working conditions, the nature of the labor function, and the tariff-qualification characteristics specified in the existing unified tariff-qualification reference books.