Armenia to name Best Employer of Year starting from 2022

YEREVAN, December 24. /ARKA/. An Armenian government regulator and four non-governmental organizations have partnered to choose the best employer of the year, it has emerged today. The first nominees will be announced in late 2022.

A memorandum to that effect was signed on Friday by Hakob Avagyan, head of the Health and Labor Inspectorate, Gagik Makaryan, chairman of the National Union of Employers, Eduard Kirakosyan, executive director of the Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen, Eduard Tumasyan, president of the Confederation of Armenian Trade Unions, and Narine Parsamyan, president of Mantashov Entrepreneurs Union.

Avagyan said at a press conference that the criteria for choosing the Best Employer of the Year will be worked out until March 2022. The five signatory organizations will select employers who will not violate labor rights during the year and will also implement effective mechanisms for observing those rights.

Avagyan said when choosing the best employer, the Health and Labor Inspectorate will take also into account the complaints filed against employers during the year as well as the results of inspections of organizations.

He noted that the selection criteria will be publicly available and candidates for the award can be nominated. The 2022 Best Employer could be announced as early as next December, he said. 

Gagik Makaryan, chairman of the National Union of Employers, said employers need to have effective work safety management and risk assessment systems.

"We will gladly take part in shaping the criteria and will be glad if the contest motivates employers to pay even more attention to work safety conditions, legislative requirements," he stressed. -0-