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Iran - Compensation & Benefit Legislation

CAPITAL

Tehran

 

CLIMATE

Mostly arid or semiarid climate with a subtropical climate along the Caspian coast.

 

LANGUAGES

Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, and other 2%.

 

LEGAL SYSTEM

Iran’s the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government.

 

CURRENCY

Iranian Rial (1 USD = 1,741.25 IRR as of May 1, 2002).

 

IRAN - COST-OF-LIVING

ERI's Relocation Assessor is a recommended source for cost-of-living data.

 

IRAN - EMBASSY/CONSULATES

The U.S. government does not currently have diplomatic or consular relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and therefore cannot provide protection or routine consular services to American citizens in Iran. The Swiss government, acting through its Embassy in Tehran, serves as protecting power for U.S. interests in Iran. The Interests Section provides limited consular services. The Interests Section does not issue U.S. visas or accept visa applications.

 

Embassy of Switzerland at Tehran

U.S. Interests Section

Africa Avenue

West Farzan Street, no. 59

Tehran, Iran

Telephone: 878-2964

Fax: 877-3265

 

Iran does not currently have diplomatic or consular relations with the United States. Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy.

 

Embassy of Pakistan at Washington, D.C.

Iranian Interests Section

2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20007

Telephone: (202) 965-4990

Fax: (202) 965-1073

http://www.daftar.org

 

IRAN - HOLIDAYS

IRAN - LEAVE

Annual Leave: Minimum 12 days of paid annual leave.

 

Maternity Leave: 90 days – 66.7% of pay (paid by social security).

 

IRAN - MINIMUM AGE

The Labor Law prohibits employment of minors under 15 years of age and places restrictions on the employment of minors under age 18. The law permits children to work in agriculture, domestic service, and some small businesses. By law women and minors may not be employed in hard labor or, in general, night work.

 

(Section 6.d. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Iran – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)

 

IRAN - MINIMUM REMUNERATION

The Labor Code empowers the Supreme Labor Council to establish annual minimum wage levels for each industrial sector and region. It is not known if the minimum wages are adjusted annually or enforced. The Labor Code stipulates that the minimum wage should be sufficient to meet the living expenses of a family and should take inflation into account. Under the poor economic conditions, many middle-class citizens must work two or even three jobs to support their families. The daily minimum wage was raised in March 1997 to 8,500 rials) (approximately $2.80). This wage is not sufficient to provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Information regarding the percentage of the working population covered by minimum wage legislation is not available.

 

(Section 6.e. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Iran – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)

 

IRAN - REMUNERATION

ERI's Geographic and Salary Assessors are recommended sources for international remuneration covering 189 countries.

 

IRAN - REPORT OF HUMAN RIGHTS PRACTICES (2001, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE)

Section 6 Worker Rights

 

a. The Right of Association

 

The Labor Code grants workers the right to establish unions; however, the Government does not allow independent unions to exist. A national organization known as the Worker's House, founded in 1982, is the sole authorized national labor organization. It serves primarily as a conduit for the Government to exert control over workers. The leadership of the Worker's House coordinates activities with Islamic labor councils, which are made up of representatives of the workers and one representative of management in industrial, agricultural, and service organizations of more than 35 employees. These councils also function as instruments of government control, although they frequently have been able to block layoffs and dismissals.

 

The Labor Code allows employers and employees to establish guilds. The guilds issue vocational licenses and help members find jobs.

 

The Government does not tolerate any strike deemed to be at odds with its economic and labor policies. The law prohibits strikes by government workers. It also prohibits government workers from having contacts with foreigners and stipulates penalties for failure to observe Islamic dress codes and principles at work. Nevertheless, strikes occurred, apparently in increasing numbers as the economy has worsened. A European-based labor organization that follows Iranian labor issues reported 181 protests and strikes by workers in the period from March 1998 to March 1999. These reportedly included strikes and protests by oil, textile, electrical manufacturing, and metal workers, and by the unemployed.

 

Newspapers in 1999 reported an "unauthorized rally" by thousands of workers over the Government's labor policies and the poor economy. Instances of late or partial pay for government workers reportedly are common.

 

There are no known affiliations with international labor organizations.

 

b. The Right to Organize and Bargain Collectively

 

Workers do not have the right to organize independently and negotiate collective bargaining agreements. No information is available regarding mechanisms used to set wages.

 

It is not known whether labor legislation and practice in the export processing zones differ from the law and practice in the rest of the country.

 

c. Prohibition of Forced or Compulsory Labor

 

The Penal Code provides that the Government may require any person who does not have work to take suitable employment; however, this does not appear to be enforced regularly. This provision has been criticized frequently by the International Labor Organization (ILO) as contravening ILO Convention 29 on forced labor. The law prohibits forced and bonded labor by children; however, they are not enforced adequately, and such labor by children is a serious problem.

 

d. Status of Child Labor Practices and Minimum Age for Employment

 

The Labor Law prohibits employment of minors under 15 years of age and places restrictions on the employment of minors under age 18; however, laws pertaining to child labor are not enforced adequately and child labor is a serious problem. The law permits children to work in agriculture, domestic service, and some small businesses. By law women and minors may not be employed in hard labor or, in general, night work. Information regarding the extent to which these regulations are enforced is not available. The law prohibits forced and bonded labor by children; however, it is a serious problem.

 

e. Acceptable Conditions of Work

 

The Labor Code empowers the Supreme Labor Council to establish annual minimum wage levels for each industrial sector and region. It is not known if the minimum wages are adjusted annually or enforced. The Labor Code stipulates that the minimum wage should be sufficient to meet the living expenses of a family and should take inflation into account. Under the poor economic conditions, many middle-class citizens must work two or even three jobs to support their families. The daily minimum wage was raised in March 1997 to $2.80 (8,500 rials). This wage is not sufficient to provide a decent standard of living for a worker and family. Information regarding the percentage of the working population covered by minimum wage legislation is not available.

 

The Labor Code establishes a maximum 6-day, 48-hour workweek, with 1 weekly rest day, normally Fridays, and at least 12 days of paid annual leave and several paid public holidays.

 

According to the Labor Code, a Supreme Safety Council, chaired by the Labor Minister or his representative, is responsible for promoting workplace safety and health. The Council reportedly has issued 28 safety directives, and oversees the activities of 3,000 safety committees established in enterprises employing more than 10 persons. Labor organizations outside the country allege that hazardous work environments are common in Iran, and result in thousands of worker deaths per year. It is not known how well the Ministry's inspectors enforce regulations. It is not known whether workers may remove themselves from hazardous situations without risking the loss of employment.

 

f. Trafficking in Persons

 

The law does not prohibit specifically trafficking in persons, and persons reportedly were trafficked to, through, and from the country during the year. The UNSR noted in his August report that "a girl's shelter in Karaj, the Jasmine Center, was closed down after an investigation reportedly revealed that it had become involved in the trafficking of girls. The press focused on the high-level connections of the operators of the Center. The authorities subsequently charged a judge of the Revolutionary Court in the affair."

 

There were reports that women were trafficked to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the purpose of forced prostitution. There also were reports that young boys were trafficked through the country to be camel jockeys in the UAE.

 

There reportedly were 3 trials during the year related to the trafficking of persons; however, there was no information regarding the details of the trials or their outcomes.

________________

1The United States does not have an embassy in Iran. This report draws heavily on non-U.S. Government sources.

 

IRAN - SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security Office of International Programs:

 

http://www.ssa.gov/SSA_Home.html

 

IRAN - STANDARD WORKWEEK

The Labor Code establishes a maximum 6-day, 48-hour workweek, with 1 weekly rest day, normally Fridays.

 

(Section 6.e. Acceptable Conditions of Work, Iran – Report of Human Rights Practices, 2001, U.S. Department of State.)