Employment
The 1999 Labour Code with electronic contract registration
The Labour Code of 1999 governs employment relationships. Since 2014 all employment contracts must be registered in the state electronic information system before work begins, which has become the central compliance obligation for employers.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National, private and public sectors.
- Deadline — Employment contracts must be registered electronically before the employee starts work
- Deadline — Claims arising from dismissal: one month from receipt of the termination order
Governing law
- Labour Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan1999, as amended
- Law on Employment (2018) — labour market policy and unemployment support
In practice
The standard working week is 40 hours and minimum annual leave is 21 calendar days. The electronic contract registration requirement, introduced to combat informal employment, means an unregistered contract exposes the employer to significant penalties. Termination requires one of the grounds listed in the Code, with notice and severance calculated by reference to service. Collective agreements are provided for and the right to strike exists subject to procedural requirements, though industrial action is uncommon in practice. Mandatory social insurance contributions are administered by the State Social Protection Fund.