Armenia’s Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has denied media reports alleging that the government plans to divide employers into “conscientious” and “unconscientious” categories for political purposes.

The Ministry responded to articles titled “Government prepares new weapon with a ‘pretty’ wrapper” and “Employers in Armenia to be split into 'fair' and 'unfair' groups—what does it mean?”, which claimed that the government would label loyal companies as “conscientious” and opposition-linked businesses as “unconscientious,” potentially using the classification to target media advertisers or funders.

“These claims are fabricated and have no basis in reality,” the Ministry stated, adding that the actual goal is to encourage all employers to register their workers and establish legal employment relationships.

“This initiative has no political context. It is about labor rights protection and ensuring social guarantees for workers,” the statement read.

The Ministry noted that the policy aligns with global practices that have successfully reduced informal employment. In the Europe and Central Asia region, informal employment averages around 11.9%. In Georgia, the rate dropped from 31.7% to 27.6% in recent years.

In Armenia, informal employment stood at 35.3% in 2024, according to official statistics from the Statistical Committee, highlighting the need for reform.

“Therefore, the state’s efforts in this area are solely focused on addressing this issue and protecting workers’ rights,” the Ministry concluded.