Iran's Parliament Approves Reduction of Working Hours for Women with 'Special Conditions'

On Thursday, October 1, the spokesperson for the Women's Fraction of the Iranian Parliament announced the approval of a law reducing the working hours for women with 'special conditions' to 36 hours per week 'while maintaining rights and benefits.' According to the official website of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Zahra Saidi Mobarakeh, a member of parliament, stated that with the approval of this law, the working hours for women with 'special conditions' will be reduced from 44 to 36 hours per week. The reduction in working hours for these individuals will be based on the request of the applicant and will maintain their rights and benefits. Women with 'special conditions' are defined as those who have 'children under seven years old, a spouse or child with disabilities or suffering from specific or chronic illnesses,' or 'female heads of households working in executive bodies and the non-governmental sector, including those covered by labor law and social security law.' Ms. Saidi also mentioned that the Ministry of Health and Medical Education or the Welfare Organization or the judiciary will be responsible for determining the eligibility of working women with 'special conditions.' For example, the confirmation of the extent and severity of the disability of the spouse or child of the applicants is the responsibility of the Welfare Organization. The necessary budget for implementing this plan and the costs related to compensating for the reduction in working hours of these individuals will also be provided by the government. According to the spokesperson for the Women's Fraction of the Parliament, based on a provision, 'the financial burden resulting from the implementation of this law for employers in the non-governmental and private sectors will be anticipated and paid to them annually in the annual budget.' According to provision three of this article, 'non-governmental employers will benefit from tiered discounts or partial coverage of the employer's insurance premium.' According to provision five of this article, if the beneficiaries of this law simultaneously meet the conditions for using its benefits and hourly breastfeeding leave or have various conditions specified in this law, they have the right to choose one of the provided benefits. This bill had previously been approved by members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in May of this year, but due to the Guardian Council's objections, it underwent changes that also received the positive vote of this council.