Minister of Labor Nadia Al-Rawabdeh announced that Flexible Work System No. (44) of 2024, issued under Articles (2) and (140) of Labor Law No. (8) of 1996, will come into effect thirty days after August 1, 2024.
The minister explained that the flexible work system aims to increase employment of Jordanians in the private sector by offering new work patterns that align with workers’ family responsibilities and social circumstances. The system is also expected to enhance the participation of women and people with disabilities in the labor market. Additionally, it benefits private sector employers by reducing operational costs when employing workers under the flexible work system.
The minister outlined that eligible groups for flexible work in private sector institutions include regular students, breastfeeding or pregnant women, workers responsible for caring for one or more children, workers caring for elderly family members or first-degree relatives, workers with disabilities, and any worker whose job nature aligns with any form of flexible work specified in this system.
Al-Rawabdeh highlighted the various forms of flexible work defined by the system, including remote work, part-time work, flexible hours, compressed workweek, flexible year, or any other form of flexible work that the Cabinet may add upon the recommendation of the Minister of Labor. She emphasized that the flexible work contract between the worker and the employer must be in writing or electronic, with the worker committing to work for the employer under one of the flexible work arrangements, under the employer’s supervision, management, and guidance, in return for a wage.
The minister also noted the mechanism for transitioning from non-flexible to flexible work and vice versa, stating that this is permissible after a minimum period of three months from the date of the transition.
She assured that switching to flexible work does not diminish the worker’s acquired labor rights under the labor law. In part-time work, the percentage of agreed-upon working hours between the worker and the employer will be considered when calculating annual, sick, and other legally mandated leaves, except for maternity leave and breastfeeding hour, which are protected.
Al-Rawabdeh emphasized that employers with ten or more employees who implement flexible work in their institution must amend their internal regulations to comply with the new system, with the amendments approved by the Ministry of Labor.
