"Parental hour" to be introduced for working Armenian citizens with  children

ArmInfo.  A so-called "parental hour" will be introduced for working Armenian citizens with children. During its May 21 session, the RA government approved draft amendments to the Labor Code.

According to Artem Smbatyan, RA Deputy Minister of Labor and Social  Affairs, the document aims to ensure the effective reconciliation of  work and family responsibilities for employees. The draft defines the  term "parental hour." The amendments are aimed at improving social  protection for employees and labor efficiency.

The Deputy Minister noted that children under 12, as well as children  under 18 with profound or severe health limitations, require more  active and continuous care, attention, and parental involvement.  Combining work and parenting responsibilities often creates objective  difficulties that can negatively impact both a child's development  and employee productivity. Therefore, parents and guardians will be  allowed to take time off from work with full pay. Parents with two  children will be granted a maximum of 30 minutes of leave, while  those with three or more children will be granted a maximum of one  hour. Parents with children with profound or severe disabilities will  also be granted one hour, regardless of the number of children.

Providing parental leave allows working parents to more flexibly  manage their work and family responsibilities, ensuring the necessary  oversight of the child's care, upbringing, and health. At the same  time, it helps reduce workplace stress, enhance employee social  protection, and maintain productivity.