On May 12, 2025, Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed Decision No. 156, which approves the “Rules on the Form and Completion of Employment Record Book.” At the same time, the earlier regulation — Decision No. 186 dated December 26, 1996, titled “On the approval of the form and preparation rules for employment record book” — was officially repealed.
The reason behind this revocation is the amendment made to Article 49 of the Labor Code on August 12, 2024. This amendment introduced a fundamental change: the requirement to maintain an employment record book was eliminated in most cases. Now, employers cannot demand a physical employment book from a worker if the employment contract is concluded electronically through the EMAS (Electronic Labor Agreement Subsystem).
Exceptional Situations Requiring Physical Employment Record Book
According to Article 7.2-1 of the Labor Code, an employment record book is still required in certain specific cases, primarily involving positions in state authorities where employment contracts are signed in written (paper) format. These positions were established in the Decree No. 206 of the President of Azerbaijan dated July 8, 2014, and include:
- Positions elected or appointed by the National Assembly;
- Positions appointed by the President or by the Cabinet of Ministers under the President’s instruction;
- Positions elected or appointed by the Supreme Assembly of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic;
- Special-ranked roles in institutions such as the prosecutor’s office, judiciary, emergency services, migration services, internal affairs, customs, tax authorities, foreign affairs, and courier communication; also diplomatic positions;
- Civil positions in intelligence and counterintelligence agencies.
For these positions, employers must continue to issue and fill employment record books in accordance with the newly approved rules.
The May 2025 reform reflects Azerbaijan’s ongoing effort to modernize labor administration and reduce bureaucracy. By limiting the requirement for employment record books to only a narrow list of public service positions, and promoting the use of electronic labor contracts through EMAS, the state is moving toward digital governance and simplifying employer-employee interactions.
