This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 002571 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
FOR DRL/IL GEORGE WHITE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB
SUBJECT: INFORMATION ON LABOR IN JORDAN 
 
REF: A. STATE 9965 
     ¶B. AMMAN 2539 
     ¶C. 02 AMMAN 7312 
     ¶D. AMMAN 1533 
     ¶E. 02 AMMAN 3761 
 
¶1.  (U) The following information is provided per reftel A 
instructions. 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Answers are keyed to reftel a. 
 
¶I. Capacity and structure of Ministry of Labor 
 
a. Ministry structure 
 
The Ministry (MOL) consists of 16 departments in addition to 
the Minister's office.  These departments include, inter 
alia: Safety and Occupational Health, Labor Relations, 
International Cooperation, a Child Labor Unit, and Wages 
Authority.  The MOL's staff consists of 386 employees. 
 
b. Funding 
 
The MOL is funded through the central government budget. The 
MOL's budget for 2003 is USD 2.34 million (up from USD 1.96 
million in 2002).  Revenues for work and residency permits 
for non-Jordanian labor was USD 35.25 million in 2003 (up 
from USD 35.1 million in 2002).  Capital expenses for the 
Ministry totaled USD 1 million is 2003 (there were no capital 
expenditures in 2002). 
 
For comparative purposes, the GOJ central government's 
overall budget for 2003 is as follows: current expenses USD 
2.8 billion, capital expenses USD 708 million and total 
domestic revenues USD 2.5 billion. 
 
c. Functions 
 
Pursuant to law 53 of 1992 and regulation 38 of 1994, the 
ministry's functions are: 
 
i.  Supervision of all labor issues in Jordan. 
ii. Support Jordanian labor abroad and develop labor 
relations with host countries. 
iii. Regulate the local labor market and employment offices. 
iv. Support labor unions and employers organizations. 
v.  Contribute to labor education and vocational training. 
vi. Develop relations with Arab and International labor 
organizations. 
 
d. Regional and local office structure 
 
The Ministry operates 22 regional departments throughout the 
country, 5 of which are in Amman. 
 
II. Other GOJ entities with labor portfolio 
duties/responsibilities: 
 
The Jordanian Social Security department is mainly a 
retirement fund; it is chaired by the Minister of Labor. 
 
The GOJ has a central recruitment and hiring department that 
manages personnel issues of the GOJ and its agencies. 
 
III. Legal framework 
 
a. Constitution 
 
Articles 6, 13, 23 and 56 of the Jordanian constitution cover 
labor issues and relations. 
 
i. Article 6 guarantees equality and equal opportunity for 
all Jordanians; Jordan guarantees the rights of all to labor 
and education, "within its means." 
 
ii. Article 13 guarantees that Jordanians cannot be drafted 
into forced labor unless there is war or a court ruling. 
 
iii. Article 23 specifies the following right-to-work clause: 
"All enjoy the right to work; the State guarantees the 
working conditions and legislation as follows: working hours, 
vacations, women and child labor, applicable health laws and 
union organization." 
 
iv. Article 56 outlines labor administrative issues in the 
public sector 
 
b. Labor code 
 
The most recent labor law is Law number 8 of year 1996. The 
law has 142 articles spread over 12 sections. 
 
The main sections: 
 
i.   Section 3 Employment and Vocational Training 
ii.  Section 4 Employment Contracts 
iii. Section 6 Group Contracts 
iv.  Section 7 Wage Issues and Rights 
v.   Section 8 through 10 Vacations, Safety and Occupational 
Health 
vi.  Section 11 Labor Unions 
vii. Section 12 Labor dispute resolution system 
c. Supplementary laws 
In addition to the labor law, there are regulations and 
instructions governing the daily aspects of work and labor in 
Jordan. 
 
d. Industrial relations or labor courts 
 
There are labor courts pursuant to section 12 of the labor 
law. 
 
III. Function policy areas 
 
a. Industrial relations 
 
i.  Section 6 of the labor law governs group contracts; 
Section 11 governs labor unions. 
 
ii.  Section 12 governs dispute resolution. The first stage 
in dispute resolution is handled by an arbitration council, 
if that fails, it goes to "stage two", i.e. labor court. 
 
b. Employment services. 
 
While the government has its own central employment bureau, 
the labor law governs the establishment and work scope of 
private sector employment and recruitment office. To date 
there are 13 such private offices. 
 
c. Vocational Training Corporation: www.vtc.gov.jo/vtce.htm 
 
The Vocational Training Corporation is established and 
governed by Labor Law 11 of 1985, the Vocational Training 
Corporation Law and Law 27 of 1999 Occupational Work 
Organization Law. See reftel e for a brief overview of the 
VTC. 
 
d. Labor market information system 
 
There is a market information system at the Ministry of 
Labor; website is 
www.mol.gov.jo/mainpage.htm.  The GOJ Department of 
Statistics publishes up-to-date statistics on the labor 
conditions in Jordan in English: www.dos.gov.jo. 
 
e. Gender specific issues 
 
Article 69 of the labor law governs work restrictions 
specific to women (type of work and time of day) 
 
f. Safety and health 
 
See section I(a); the Ministry has an office of Safety and 
Occupational Health. 
 
g. Pension and health benefits 
 
All government employees, whether civil or military service, 
receive a pension from the state as well as access to public 
health care.  Establishments that are not governmental which 
employ 5 or more people are required by law to enroll their 
staff with the Social Security Corporation. There are no 
obligatory health service outlays for private sector 
employers. 
 
h. Employment of special needs population, such as the 
disabled 
 
The laws governing this issue mandate quota hiring of 
physically disabled persons but in practice are not always 
enforced. 
 
IV. Worker organizations 
 
A/B.  Professional associations in Jordan are very 
politicized entities that are charged with regulating and 
certifying members of their respective professions (see 
reftel c).  Labor unions do exist and are active, with the 
Textile union growing in size and effectiveness (reftels b/e). 
 
¶V. Other international linkages 
 
a. The Ministry of Labor has relations with Arab and 
International Organizations; Jordan has been a member of the 
ILO since 1956. The Ministry of Labor has ratified 18 
international labor agreements. Jordan was a founder of the 
Arab Labor Organization in 1970 and has ratified 6 of its 
agreements. 
 
b. Local offices of the ILO, inter alia. 
 
The ILO has program directors here for their two programs 
(Elimination of Child Labor and Strengthening Social 
Partnership between labor actors).  See reftel d.  The 
AFL-CIO reportedly is planning to establish a Solidarity 
Center in Jordan in the next year. 
 
VI. Employer organizations 
 
Professional Associations organize various employer 
organizations (See reftel c for an overview of the 
professional associations). 
BERRY