Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Azerbaijan

Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No. 81) (Ratification: 2000)
Labour Inspection (Agriculture) Convention, 1969 (No. 129) (Ratification: 2000)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of the ratified Conventions on labour inspection, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine Conventions Nos 81 (labour inspection) and 129 (labour inspection in agriculture) together.

Articles 2(1), 3(1), 13, 16, 17 and 23 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 4, 6(1), 18, 21 22 and 23 of Convention No. 129. Labour inspection activities in the informal economy, including the registration of workers and the control of child labour. Following its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that monitoring measures carried out through the Labour and Employment electronic information subsystem (ЕМАS), has allowed the identification of employment contracts which did not include compulsory insurance, as well as wage rates below the national minimum wage. The Government indicates that, in accordance with the Administrative Offences Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, penalties were imposed on those responsible for the violations. The Government also indicates that in 2025, the system recorded an increase of 4 per cent in the number of employment contracts registered. Regarding child labour, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that based on the review of the information it received in 2024, the State Labour Inspection Service (SLIS) detected two cases, and that fines were imposed on the guilty parties in both instances. Taking into account the impact of the moratorium on inspection activities, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on all activities carried out by the labour inspection services within the informal sector, and in relation to child labour, including the violations identified and the sanctions imposed.

Article 4 of Convention No. 81 and Article 7 of Convention No. 129. Organization and functioning of the labour inspection system under the supervision and control of a central authority. Following its previous comments on the status of the memorandum of cooperation between the International Finance Corporation and the SLIS, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that the project ended in June 2021. The Committee takes note of this information, which addresses its previous request.

Articles 5(a) and 14 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 12 and 19 of Convention No. 129. Notification of cases of occupational diseases to the labour inspection services. Cooperation with other authorities. Noting that the 2023 annual report of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP) does not contain statistics on occupational diseases, the Committee once again requests the Government to indicate the legal and practical measures in place to ensure that labour inspectors are notified of cases of occupational diseases, in accordance with Article 14 of Convention No. 81 and Article 19 of Convention No. 129.

Article 6 of Convention No. 81 and Article 8 of Convention No. 129. Status and conditions of service of labour inspectors. In the absence of information in response to its previous request, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide information on: (i) the status and conditions of service granted to labour inspectors to ensure their independence from any improper external influences; and (ii) on the conditions of service of labour inspectors compared with those of public officials exercising similar functions, such as tax inspectors.

Articles 5(a), 20 and 21 of Convention No. 81 and Articles 12, 26 and 27 of Convention No. 129. Publication of the annual report on the work of the labour inspection services and transmission to the Office. Maintenance of a register of enterprises liable to inspection. Following its previous comments on this matter, the Committee notes that the 2023 annual report of the MLSP published on its official website contains information on the violations detected, the amount of fines imposed and the number of industrial accidents. The Committee once again requests the Government to ensure that annual reports on the work of the labour inspection services are published and forwarded to the Office, as required by Article 20 of Convention No. 81 and Article 26 of Convention No. 129, and that they include, either as a separate report or as part of the general report, information on agriculture. It further requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that the annual report include information on the staff of the labour inspection service, the number of workplaces liable to inspection, the statistics of inspection visits and the statistics of occupational diseases (Article 21(b)–(d) and (g) of Convention No. 81 and Article 27(b)–(d) and (g) of Convention No. 129.

Issues relating specifically to agriculture

Article 9(3) of Convention No. 129. Training of labour inspectors concerning their functions in agriculture. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide more detailed and up-to-date information on the training activities relating to agriculture, specifically the content of training sessions, their frequency and duration, and the number of participants attending.

Article 13 of Convention No. 129. Collaboration between labour inspectors and employers and workers or their organizations. Noting the absence of additional information on this issue, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on the arrangements in place to promote collaboration between officials of the labour inspectorate in agriculture and employers and workers, or their organizations, in accordance with Article 13 of Convention No. 129.