A New Framework for Contractual Staff Takes Shape as Government Prioritizes Administrative Reform
In a significant move to streamline public sector employment, the Iranian government is advancing a comprehensive plan to reorganize the status of contractual staff, a key administrative priority of the fourteenth administration.
Focus on Reform and Job Security
The plan, which has been the subject of recent high-level discussions, aims to directly address the long-standing situation of contractual employees. Its core objectives are to enhance job security, eliminate intermediary contracting companies, and integrate these workers into the public sector under direct contract or official status. This restructuring is designed to ensure that funds previously allocated to intermediary firms are instead directed toward increasing the salaries of the employees themselves.
The initiative represents a major step in the broader agenda of administrative reform, aligning with Chapter 23 of the Seventh Development Plan law. It seeks to establish a more unified, transparent, and equitable system for public sector hiring and management.
High-Level Consultations Underway
The details of the plan were a central topic in a recent meeting between a group of parliamentarians and Mr. Aladdin Rafiezadeh, the Vice President and Head of the Administrative and Recruitment Organization. The discussions focused on overcoming challenges within the country’s human resources and administrative system.
MP Fada Hossein Maleki, who attended the meeting, outlined the broad scope of the talks, which covered not only the regularization of contractual staff but also the improvement of retirees’ livelihoods and a comprehensive overhaul of the recruitment structure. Mr. Rafiezadeh emphasized that administrative reform is a top priority for the government and assured that the proposed plan for contractual staff is being vigorously pursued.
Three Proposed Pathways Forward
According to officials, three primary scenarios are under consideration to finalize the status of these employees. These include presenting a bill to the parliament for approval, utilizing existing labor laws to facilitate the reorganization, and establishing a mechanism for the treasury to directly pay employees while deducting debts from the contracting companies.
To support this effort, the government has launched “PAKNA,” a new digital platform designed to create a comprehensive database of all contractual staff across various executive agencies. This system is crucial for transparency and effective implementation of the new policy.
This development is seen as a direct response to the legitimate expectations of many employees and is being closely followed as a testament to the government’s commitment to strengthening the administrative structure and ensuring justice within the public sector workforce.