Tehran’s Lingering Decision: The Thursday Workweek Conundrum
A political and administrative deliberation continues in the Iranian capital, as Tehran remains the notable exception in a nationwide shift towards a five-day workweek.
Provincial Autonomy vs. Capital Gridlock
In a significant administrative move, governors in twenty Iranian provinces have been granted the authority to implement a five-day workweek, effectively shutting down government offices on Thursdays. This decision, made in coordination with the Ministry of Interior, affects provinces such as Gilan, Mazandaran, Isfahan, and Fars, allowing for localized management based on regional conditions.
However, a different story is unfolding in Tehran. While the capital city grapples with the same question, its fate remains caught in a procedural back-and-forth between the Parliament and the government, creating a state of uncertainty for its workforce and administrative bodies.
A Legislative Ping-Pong Match
The issue was thrust back into the spotlight recently when the Speaker of the Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, referred the matter of Tehran’s Thursday closures back to the Social Commission of the Parliament for further review. This marks the latest chapter in a lengthy legislative process that has seen the proposal shuttle between Parliament and the Guardian Council.
During a recent parliamentary session, lawmakers amended a single-article bill concerning the country’s civil service management law to address the Guardian Council’s previous concerns. The core of the amendment maintains the 44-hour official workweek but grants the government the authority to distribute those hours across five days, from Saturday to Wednesday.
Commission in Favor, But Hurdles Remain
Despite the procedural delays, the political will for the change appears to exist within the relevant parliamentary body. Ali Jafari-Azar, a member of the Social Commission, confirmed that the commission itself is in favor of the five-day workweek model. He clarified that the recent return of the bill to the commission was due to “minor phrasing issues” raised by fellow representatives in the open session, not a fundamental opposition to the closure itself.
Jafari-Azar explained that the commission’s approved version preserves the 44-hour workweek while authorizing the government to condense it into five days, with Thursday joining Friday as the official weekend. He also noted that the Guardian Council’s initial objections were rooted in economic policy concerns regarding a potential reduction in working hours, a point that has been addressed by maintaining the total weekly hours.
What Comes Next for Tehran?
The immediate future of the proposal now rests with the Social Commission, which is expected to review the bill in the coming days. Once re-approved there, it must once again be placed on the Parliament’s agenda for a final vote. While the political consensus seems to be building, the people of Tehran must wait a while longer for a definitive answer, as their city remains at the center of a complex administrative process.