Armenia is changing labour rules and working hours. The proposed amendments will formally recognise remote work and introduce specific benefits for parents with children under the age of 12.

The changes introduce so-called “parent hours”, which will shorten the working day:

• employees with one or two children will work 30 minutes less each day,
• parents with three or more children will work one hour less.

The government has submitted the draft amendments for public and expert discussion. Initial reactions suggest that most people support the proposals.

Labour and Social Affairs Minister Arsen Torosyan said flexible working arrangements would let employers and employees agree flexible schedules in writing. They would also be able to decide themselves when a working day or shift begins and ends.

Torosyan said the “parent hour” would allow mothers and fathers to take children to school or kindergarten without asking employers for permission. Under the amendments, every employee would have that right. Take children to school or kindergarten. Now this will be the right of any employee.

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‘Remote work should be regulated by law’ — IT specialist

Harutyun Galoyan has worked remotely for six years. He cooperates with both international and local technology companies. He considers remote work important both for improving productivity and for managing his time more effectively.

“Over the years, proper time management has helped me save up to three hours a day. I used that time to improve my English, take professional online courses, read and exercise. Working remotely is simply wonderful. It does not mean I work less or do a worse job. On the contrary, it helps me become more efficient and improve both my professional and personal skills.”

According to Galoyan, remote work in Armenia is most common in the IT sector. Employers value the quality and results of work rather than physical presence in the office.

“I do not underestimate the importance of being physically present at work — professional contacts, solving problems together on site or simply human relationships. Perhaps specialists need that at the beginning of their careers. But once you establish yourself professionally, you begin to focus on efficiency. That becomes impossible if you spend more than two hours a day travelling to and from the office,” he said.

Galoyan considers not only commuting time but also office breaks a waste of time.

“Besides, I cannot concentrate even when a fly is buzzing in the room. Noise in the workplace is unavoidable.”

He began working from home in 2020, at the start of the coronavirus pandemic. That was when he realised remote work gave him extra time for personal and professional development.

“In the past, if I had free time at work and spent it doing something else, people criticised me. Now the situation is different. If I do not have anything urgent to do, I can listen to music or cook something in the kitchen. What matters to my employer is that I remain available at all times.”

He described his agreements with his employer as follows:

• remain available during working hours,
• take part in all online discussions,
• come to the office when necessary, for example to sign documents, join team discussions or attend social events with colleagues.

While working remotely, Galoyan says he still enjoys the same rights as office employees, including paid leave, up to five working days off for personal reasons, overtime pay and bonuses.

“I can no longer work in an office. I tried several times, unsuccessfully. I realised I simply cannot give up this way of working. Legal regulation of remote work would create excellent opportunities for organisations that want to introduce it. It would also help them optimise costs,” he said..

‘The so-called ‘parent hour’ will be a lifesaver’ — mother of three young children

Ripsime Saryan works in the public sector and has three children. She and her husband live separately from their parents, so they cannot rely on relatives for childcare or help around the house.

Every morning, Ripsime has to take two of her children to kindergarten and her eldest daughter to school.

“This so-called ‘parent hour’ will be a real lifesaver for me. I wake up at six in the morning to manage everything. I prepare breakfast and a lunchbox for my school-aged daughter. Then I take my eldest child and my two younger children — aged two and five — to school. There, I usually ask one of the parents whose child also attends kindergarten to take my younger children there together with their own child. Otherwise, I will be late for work,” she said.

According to Ripsime, she constantly feels guilty and stressed because she cannot personally take her children to kindergarten.

At the same time, she says she cannot find a nanny willing to look after the children for just one hour in the morning.

“If the law changes, I will gain an hour that I desperately need. I will finally be able to organise my children’s morning routine properly. I would come to work half an hour later and leave half an hour earlier. I have always envied people who worked remotely. But I doubt the public sector will switch to that kind of schedule,” she said.

Although her workplace follows a strict schedule, arriving 10 minutes late has never created serious problems. Ripsime says she has also been able to attend school parent meetings, kindergarten celebrations and other events when necessary.

“But it is one thing when people tell you: ‘You are a mother of three children, we can make an exception for you, you can go to your child’s event.’ It is completely different when the law guarantees you that right. In that case, you no longer need to ask for permission every time or feel embarrassed for taking time off.”

Ripsime believes fathers should receive the same opportunity so they can fully participate in childcare as well.

“That would make families healthier and stronger. My husband leaves for work very early in the morning, even earlier than I do. If he also receives this right, the atmosphere at home would become completely different — much healthier.”

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