State Employment Service (Azerbaijan)

State Employment Service of Azerbaijan was established on August 1, 1991 in accord with presidential order No211 dated July 22, 1991. The Law "About Population Employment in the Republic of Azerbaijan" came into force on October 1, 1991 with the resolution of the Supreme Council of Azerbaijan No 147-XII dated June 27, 1991 in order to regulate the activity of the newly established State Employment Service. The Employment Fund was established within the State Employment Service to finance measures to implement the state policy in the area of employment with the Decision No.22 of the Cabinet of Azerbaijan dated 22 July 1991.

The Constitution of Azerbaijan, adopted on November 12, 1995, provides legal basis for the employment of Azerbaijani citizens. Within the framework of the Constitution, the citizens have right to choose any job independently.

A number of State Programs such as the "State Program on Assistance to Small and Medium Enterprises in Azerbaijan (1997-2000)", "State Program on Poverty Reduction and Economic Development in Azerbaijan (2003-2006) "," State Program on Socio-Economic Development of the Regions of Azerbaijan (2004-2008)" have been implemented by State Employment Service to promote the development of economics in the country.[1]

“State Program on Country Health Promotion for 2006-2009 within the framework of cooperation with ILO” that was signed by the Government of Azerbaijan and the International Labour Organization in cooperation with the International Labour Organization, which was signed in Geneva on 15 November 2006, was recognized for management and execution.

Action Plan, which was prepared by the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan to support State Program on Azerbaijani Youth (2005-2009), covered the programs “Preparation of National Action Plan on providing youth employment in the Republic of Azerbaijan” and “Providing youth employment and “Studying advanced practices of developed foreign countries in the field of entrepreneurship activity and preparing proposals for its application”

Azerbaijan is a member of International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1992. So far Azerbaijan ratified 57 Convention of the Organization, which among "On forced labor"(No 29), "On discrimination in labor and employment" (No 111), "On employment policy" (No 122), “On Organization of Employment Service” (No88), “On Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities” (No 159).[2][3][4]

State Employment Service of Azerbaijan assists employers to select staff and citizens to find suitable jobs. The Service provides them with information about demand and offer in the labor market, organizes vocational trainings in order to assist young people in choosing a profession, organizes professional training, retraining and professional development of unemployed and job seeker people, organization of public works, organization of labor fairs, issues unemployment status, determinate unemployment benefit and payment, organize temporary employment of citizens through labor exchanges.[5]

Unemployed status is granted to able-bodied citizens, who have no job, but ready to work and are registered as a job seeker in relevant Employment Centers, and who cannot be offered suitable job after ten days of registration as job seeker in the center.

Citizens who can be granted an unemployment status are:

1. Citizens under the age of 15;
2. Those who the right to retirement (excluding pensions for children losing family head);
3. First time job seeker;
4. Those who sentenced to imprisonment;
5. Persons engaged in entrepreneurial activity, individuals engaged in individual labor activities and those who have a plot of land.

A delegation of the State Employment Service under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan attended an international conference ““Youth Guarantee” Programme as Prevention of Youth Unemployment" that was held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina on October 17–18, 2017 by Labor and Employment Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the World Association of Public Employment Services (WAPES).[6]

The conference brought together representatives of different countries, a presentation of the Youth Support Program was demonstrated, as well as discussions on its experience, impacts, development proposals and perspectives," Solidarity of States in the fight against unemployment among young people "," Integration into the labor market of young people in need of social protection and special care "," The presentation of other employment programs by the State Employment Service of Belgium, Croatia, Slovenia, Russia, Austria, France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia, as well as other member states of the organization, and the experience of different countries in this area, exchange experiences and ideas among member states about ways to participate in national and international levels to address youth unemployment were made.

On October 2–28, 2017, the delegation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan visited the Republic of Lithuania within the twinning project "Support to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population in the Modernization of Public Employment Services in Azerbaijan". During the visit a meeting with the leadership of the Labor Exchange of Lithuania was held. On December 10–16, 2017, the delegation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population of Azerbaijan visited Austrian Republic within Twinning project "Support to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of Population in Modernization of Public Employment Services in Azerbaijan".[7]

During the visit, a number of meetings were held between the Employment Service, the Kunther Steinbach Academy, the Labor and Chambers of Commerce, the Entrepreneurs Laboratories and the Agricultural Higher Education Institution in the cities of Vienna, Linz and Vishelburg in the Austrian Republic. The activities of the Austrian Employment Service, active and passive employment measures, existing electronic services, work done within the framework of social partnership, trainings and subsidies for employed citizens wishing to engage in entrepreneurial activity, as well as detailed information on the training process for recruitment was given.[8]

• Cabinet of Azerbaijan
• Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Population