Change: Employment Contracts to Be Concluded Exclusively in Electronic Format

As of January 1 this year, amendments to the Labor Code of the Republic of Armenia have come into force, according to which all employment contracts must be concluded through an electronic system with an electronic signature.

In an interview with Armenpress, Zhora Sargsyan, Head of the Employment and Social Affairs Department of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs, stated that this new toolkit addresses several issues for employees, employers, and the state alike.

“From now on, when employers hire a person, they must formalize the mandatory employment contract through the new electronic platform. It must be sent to the employee to familiarize themselves with and confirm with a digital signature. This means that employees will have their contracts from the very start of their employment relationships. This eliminates the possibility of situations where an employee does not have a contract, as this new option makes the contract mandatory and accessible to the employee,” Sargsyan said.

The new toolkit is also important for employers because, according to Sargsyan, it allows them to avoid inaccuracies. Previously, if there was a gap on a particular issue, it could be attributed to ignorance, but now this issue is also being regulated. The new electronic platform will feature a model contract that highlights mandatory fields. The employer only needs to add basic information about the citizen being hired by filling in the required fields.

This new toolkit is also crucial for the state, as the relationships between employees and employers become more transparent. Sargsyan emphasized that all employers will be given one year to transition the contracts of their currently employed citizens to this platform. Employees only need to have a digital signature.

“Since the income declaration program has been implemented, a significant portion of citizens have acquired digital signatures or mobile IDs. Therefore, many do not need to take any further steps in this regard. The employment contract will be visible to them on the self-portal; they just need to review and confirm it. Those citizens who still do not have a digital signature can approach their mobile operator to obtain one,” Sargsyan stated.

Until January 1, 2026, several months have been given to employers to use the new platform on a voluntary basis. Sargsyan reported that many employers have already taken advantage of this opportunity.