HR Software in Jordan: A Buyer's Checklist

The contract

Contracts are written in Arabic, in at least two copies, and each party keeps one (Labour Law, Article 15(a)). A worker who is not Arab receives a second copy in an approved foreign language (Article 15(a)(2)).
Without a written contract, the worker can prove his rights by any legal means (Article 15(a)).
A fixed-term contract that carries on after it ends becomes an indefinite-term contract from the start (Article 15(c)).
Store the Arabic contract and any approved foreign-language copy, with dates and signatures.

Probation

Probation cannot last more than three months, and the probation wage cannot be below the minimum wage (Article 35(a)).
During probation, the employer can end the employment without notice or gratuity (Article 35(b)).
If the worker stays on after probation, the contract becomes indefinite-term, and probation counts as service (Article 35(c)).

Set the probation end date when you hire, and alert HR before it passes.

Notice and resignation

Ending an indefinite-term contract needs written notice of at least one month. Notice cannot be withdrawn without both sides agreeing (Article 23(a)).
The notice period counts as service. The employer may release the worker during the notice, but not during its last seven days, and the worker is paid for the full notice period (Article 23(b) and (c)).
A worker who resigns and leaves before the notice ends receives no wage for the days left, and must compensate the employer with the equivalent wage (Article 23(d)).

Protected periods

The employer may not end the service or give notice while the worker is: a pregnant woman from the sixth month of pregnancy, or on maternity leave; on national or reserve service; or on annual or sick leave, workers' education or Hajj leave, or agreed union or study leave (Article 27(a)).

The protection ends if the worker works for another employer during that period (Article 27(b)).

Flag any planned end date that falls in a protected period before you set it.

Dismissal, discipline and records

A dismissal can be challenged in court within 60 days. If the court finds it arbitrary, it can order reinstatement, or compensation of half a month's wage for each year of service with a minimum of two months' wage, on top of notice pay (Article 25).
No worker may be dismissed or disciplined for complaints he made to the authorities about the Labour Law (Article 24).
Discipline must follow the penalty schedule approved by the Minister, and the worker must be heard first. A fine cannot exceed three days' wage in a month, and each fine goes into a special register (Article 48).
An employer with ten or more workers must have an internal regulation, approved by the Minister, that sets working hours, rest periods and penalties, including dismissal (Article 55).

Record the reason, the date, the evidence and the hearing for every disciplinary step and every termination.

Leave

Annual leave is 14 days on full pay for each year of service, or 21 days after five consecutive years with the same employer. Official holidays, religious feasts and weekly rest days do not count (Article 61(a)).
The employer sets each worker's leave dates in the first month of the year, with the worker's interests in mind, and cannot refuse a worker's request for leave (Article 61(c) and (d)). Leave can move to the next year only by agreement, and any agreement to give up annual leave is void (Articles 61(c) and 64).
Leave taken in parts must be at least two days each time (Article 62).
Sick leave is 14 days a year on full pay, on a doctor's report (Article 65).
Other paid leave: 14 days for an approved workers' education course or for the Hajj (once, after five continuous years), and three days' paid paternity leave (Article 66(a) and (c)).
Other unpaid leave: up to four months to study at a recognised university, institute or college (Article 66(b)); up to one year to care for children, for a mother in an establishment with ten or more workers (Article 67); up to two years for a working spouse who moves to accompany the other spouse (Article 68).
Maternity leave is 10 weeks on full pay, with at least six weeks after the birth (Article 70).

Leaving

When service ends for any reason, unused annual leave is paid (Article 63).
End-of-service pay depends on social security coverage. The payroll checklist sets out both cases, with a worked example (Labour Law, Article 32, and Social Security Law, Article 102).
Save the final pay statement and the leave balance at the exit date, so that both can be checked later.

Questions for every vendor, in writing

Can the system hold an Arabic contract and an approved foreign-language copy, with dates and signatures?
Does it track probation end dates, notice periods and protected periods?
Does it flag, or block, a termination date that falls in a protected period?
Does it calculate annual leave at 14 and 21 days, and show the unused balance that is paid on exit?
Does it record every disciplinary step, its hearing and the fine register?
Does it keep an audit log of changes to contracts and pay?
Can we export all employee data if we leave?

Where SSByte stands

BYTE is coming soon. Ask us in writing which HR features are ready before you decide. For the pay side, read the payroll checklist. For hours and overtime, read the attendance checklist.

Questions people ask

Do I need an HR system for a small business?

Not always. The Labour Law sets most of its contract, notice and leave rules without a size limit. Some rules have one, such as ten workers for an internal regulation (Article 55). A system helps you prove each step.

Who should see disciplinary and medical records?

Only the people who need them for a decision. Medical reports support sick leave (Article 65). Keep them apart from the general employee file, with restricted access.

Can an employee be ended while on leave?

Not during annual or sick leave, or the other protected periods in Article 27. Check the dates before you give notice or set an end date.

Can the system store Arabic names and job titles?

It should. Check that Arabic data, contracts and reports work, and that you can export them in a form you can use.

This guide summarises the Labour Law as amended to 2023. It is general information, not legal advice. Confirm the current position with your lawyer or your accountant before you decide. Talk to us for a written answer to any question here.

Read the payroll checklist → HR, attendance and payroll overview → Talk to us