Headline: Major Government Overhaul: New Framework for Contract Worker Regulations Announced
In a significant administrative development, the Iranian government has announced a comprehensive new framework aimed at reorganizing the nation’s public sector contract workers. This initiative, a key priority for the 14th administration, seeks to streamline employment structures and enhance job security for thousands.
High-Level Consultations Underway
The proposed plan was a central topic in a recent high-level meeting between members of Parliament and Mr. Aladdin Rafiezadeh, the President’s Deputy and Head of the Administrative and Recruitment Organization. The session, focused on “organizing contract forces, improving retirees’ livelihoods, and reforming the employment structure,” facilitated a direct exchange of critiques and proposals between legislators and the executive body.
Fada Hossein Maleki, the parliamentary representative for Zahedan, outlined the broad challenges discussed, which included the uncertain status of contract workers in the education sector and the need for a unified national policy to bring about fundamental transformation in public administration.
A Three-Pronged Proposal for Resolution
In response to parliamentary inquiries, Mr. Rafiezadeh detailed the government’s strategy, which is aligned with Chapter 23 of the 7th Development Plan. He explained that the current situation is a legacy of past regulations and presented three potential scenarios to resolve it:
- Submitting a formal bill to Parliament for approval.
- Utilizing Article 124 of the Labor Law for reorganization.
- Direct payment from the treasury to beneficiaries, with a deduction for dues from contracting companies.
The government is working to finalize this process promptly. Furthermore, Mr. Rafiezadeh announced a reform to public sector hiring exams, where 70% of the score will now be based on a written test and 30% on an oral interview to strengthen fairness in recruitment.
Direct Hiring and Enhanced Benefits
A core component of the plan is the elimination of intermediary contracting companies for essential government work. Under the new framework, all such “volume-based” workers will be contracted directly by the government agencies they serve. This structural shift is designed to redirect funds previously paid to intermediary firms directly into the salaries of the employees, thereby improving their livelihoods and providing greater job stability.
This reorganization is a response to long-standing demands from workers and is being pursued in accordance with the Civil Service Law. To support this effort, the Administrative and Recruitment Organization has launched “PAKNA,” a new integrated system to collect and update data on all contract workers across executive agencies, ensuring transparency and efficient management.
While the final consensus on the plan is still under review within the relevant government commission, the administration has underscored its commitment to seeing this substantial reform through to fruition.
