Employers in Jordan can reduce salary payments of workers by a maximum of 20% instead of 30%, the government announced during a press conference on Monday. 

Minister of Labour, Nidal Al-Batayneh, said wage reductions can only be implemented in the sectors most affected by the coronavirus crisis, for employees who work remotely or at the workplace.

However, it is not permissible to reduce the salaries of employees in other unaffected sectors, he said.

The meeting came after Prime Minister Omar Razzaz issued communiqué No. 8 pursuant to Defence Order No. 6 on Sunday.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MIT) amended the list of sectors most affected by the coronavirus crisis.

While some sectors were removed from the list, others were added. These included the wood, furniture and leather industries, as well as newspapers, volunteering and charitable societies and specialised care centres, said MIT Minister Tariq Al-Hamouri.

The list is subject to amendments according to developments in Jordan's COVID-19 situation and in agreement with the private sector, he added.

Al-Batainah said short-term contracts that expire from the first of July will be automatically renewed as long as the contract has been previously renewed at least three times.

Approximately 6,523 establishments were committed to paying wages and 8,585 complaints were filed against establishments, Batayneh said. The Ministry of Labour (MoL) also received 42,000 complaints since the beginning of a pandemic.

The MoL managed to give 3,880 workers their jobs back and another 140 complaints under underway.