Asatryan: Maternity benefit should be differentiated from sick pay

“The norms currently in force enable some people to register their relatives and friends as employees or pay them bonuses. These are not abuses, but legal norms, with no assessment made of them. One thing is obvious: expenditures are growing,” Armenian Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Artyom Asatruyan said during parliamentary hearings on the amendments to the Law on Temporary Disability Allowance.

Mane Tandilyan, a member of “I’m Against” pressure group, said for her part that 80% of working women should not have obligations for violations committed by the remaining 20%.

“You speak about abuses, but you forget about women who pay high taxes,” she said.

“I would not like to call into question the efficiency of expenses, but control is necessary. You have the index of employers who are in the so-called risk zone so it is quite easy to do special studies and reveal them,” M. Tandilyan said.

The minister replied that he considers it necessary that maternity benefit be differentiated from sick pay during these debates. “We presented also problems, along with proposals. We shall discuss these proposals and find comprehensive solutions,” Artyom Asatryan said.