Amid legal provisions guaranteeing the right of persons with disabilities to work and legislation requiring employers to provide safe childcare for working mothers, the Ministry of Labor is stepping up oversight of private-sector businesses in an effort to close a persistent gap between rights guaranteed by law and their implementation in practice.

The measures come as some groups continue to face significant barriers to entering and remaining in the labor market. Unemployment among Jordanians of both sexes stood at 21.1% in the first quarter of 2026, according to the latest figures from the Department of Statistics. Female unemployment reached 32.7%, compared with 17.9% among men.

Among Jordanians aged 24 and above, the unemployment rate stood at 17.7%, including 29% among women and 14.4% among men.

For persons with disabilities, however, the latest quarterly data from the Department of Statistics does not provide an updated unemployment rate. The most recent field data available comes from a 2015 study conducted by the Higher Council for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in cooperation with the Department of Statistics. It found that unemployment among persons with disabilities stood at around 76%, rising to approximately 80% among women with disabilities.

The census data cited in the study also identified 34,998 unemployed persons with disabilities aged 15 and above.

Against this backdrop, Minister of Transport and Minister of Labor Nidal Al-Qatamin has instructed the ministry’s inspection directorate to develop a comprehensive plan to strengthen labor-market oversight. The plan includes verifying whether private-sector establishments are complying with requirements to provide workplace nurseries or legally permitted alternatives, as well as ensuring compliance with employment quotas for persons with disabilities.

Al-Qatamin said the plan will initially focus on raising awareness and providing guidance to employers across sectors and governorates. The ministry will organize awareness workshops in cooperation with chambers of industry and commerce and representatives of different economic sectors to explain employers’ legal obligations regarding childcare facilities and the employment of persons with disabilities.

He said the objective is not primarily to issue fines and violations, but to raise awareness of the Labor Law and help create a safe and attractive working environment for private-sector employees, particularly women and persons with disabilities.

According to the minister’s instructions, the awareness phase will be followed by intensified inspection visits, with legal action taken against establishments that fail to comply with the law once the guidance and advisory phase has ended.

From Legal Quotas to Actual Jobs

Article 13 of the Labor Law requires employers to hire persons with disabilities in accordance with the quota established under the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Article 25 requires government and non-government entities employing between 25 and 50 workers to employ at least one person with a disability. The quota rises to as much as 4% of available positions in establishments employing more than 50 people, according to requirements set by the Ministry of Labor.

Non-government employers are also required to submit regular information to the ministry on employees with disabilities, including their positions, wages and the reasonable accommodations provided to them.

The legal obligation goes beyond simply offering a job. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations that enable persons with disabilities to perform their duties, remain in employment and advance professionally.

The law also imposes financial penalties on establishments that violate employment requirements for persons with disabilities, including fines ranging from JD3,000 to JD5,000 in specified cases.

Hamadeh Abu Najma, director of the Workers’ House and a lawyer, believes the legally mandated employment quota for persons with disabilities is sufficient if properly enforced. He notes that both the public and private sectors have made efforts to increase employment opportunities for this group, but says significant barriers continue to limit their full integration into the labor market.

Transportation and workplace accessibility are among the most important challenges, Abu Najma says. Difficulties with public transportation that affect citizens generally become even more complicated for persons with disabilities trying to reach their workplaces.

He calls for cooperation between the public and private sectors to develop transportation solutions, whether by improving public transport or providing specialized services. Workplaces must also be adapted to the needs of people with different types of disabilities, including physical, visual and hearing impairments.

According to Abu Najma, integrating persons with disabilities into the labor market cannot stop at meeting an employment quota. It requires a comprehensive system that begins with training, qualifications and skills development, continues with accessible workplaces, and ultimately ensures job stability.

Practical experience, he says, has demonstrated the ability of persons with disabilities to prove their competence in the workplace. Providing the right opportunity and an appropriate environment can transform them from recipients of services into productive and active members of the workforce across different sectors.

He also stresses the importance of vocational training and career guidance as the skills demanded by the labor market change rapidly. Responsibility for preparing workers cannot fall solely on persons with disabilities. It requires the involvement of government institutions, labor-market bodies and the private sector.

Limited participation in vocational training is a broader challenge in Jordan, he says, but it is even more pronounced among persons with disabilities. This calls for more specialized training programs and better access to opportunities for professional development.

Abu Najma adds that the Ministry of Labor has the necessary oversight mechanisms through its inspection teams operating across the kingdom, as well as specialized departments responsible for the employment of persons with disabilities. He calls for continued cooperation between the ministry, private-sector employers and chambers of industry and commerce to ensure the law is effectively implemented.

Women Need Childcare to Stay in Work

The issue of childcare is directly linked to women’s ability to enter and remain in the labor market, particularly given the significant gap between female and male unemployment.

Female unemployment reached 32.7% in the first quarter of 2026, about 14.8 percentage points higher than the 17.9% rate recorded among men, according to the Department of Statistics.

The gap highlights the need to address factors that can affect women’s participation in the workforce and their ability to remain employed. Among them is access to affordable childcare services located in safe and convenient areas.

Article 72 of the Labor Law requires employers with at least 15 children of their employees, aged no more than four years and eight months, to provide a suitable place for their care under the supervision of one or more qualified caregivers.

The law also allows employers to jointly provide childcare facilities within the same geographic area and permits alternative arrangements where establishing a nursery is not feasible, according to provisions determined by the minister.

Mohammad Al-Momani, president of the Nursery Owners Syndicate, says the requirement was introduced for a clear purpose: to provide children with a safe environment while enabling women to participate in the economy, giving parents peace of mind while they are at work.

Al-Momani believes safe childcare should be treated as a fundamental need for children and families, rather than simply as a legal obligation imposed on employers. He points to differences in compliance levels, partly because some businesses face difficulties in preparing dedicated childcare spaces and providing the staff and safety procedures required.

In response to these challenges, Al-Momani notes that the legislation provides alternatives for establishments that cannot set up a nursery on their premises. These include allowing several businesses to share a single childcare facility, as well as other alternatives that the minister may approve when an employer is unable to establish a suitable facility.

The private nursery sector, he says, is capable of providing options for businesses across different parts of the kingdom. The syndicate is prepared to coordinate between employers and nurseries to develop solutions that take into account the location of each business, employees’ needs and the cost of the service.

He points to previous examples of private companies and establishments that reached agreements with nearby nurseries to care for employees’ children. He believes this model can offer a practical alternative for businesses unable to establish childcare facilities on their own premises.

The syndicate is also ready to act as an intermediary between employers and nurseries, helping businesses identify suitable facilities and complete contracting arrangements. This would provide children with a safe place to stay while allowing employers to meet their legal obligations.

Childcare Costs, A Barrier That Can Be Addressed

Al-Momani also acknowledges the financial dimension, noting that some businesses may regard childcare services as an additional cost, particularly given differences in prices and service levels.

But he argues that the availability of multiple nurseries creates a range of options in terms of both cost and quality, allowing businesses to find arrangements suited to their financial capacity. The syndicate’s role, he says, is to bring the parties together and help employers identify the most appropriate option.

This collaborative model can serve the interests of everyone involved. Employers comply with the law, children receive safe care, working women gain a more supportive environment in which to remain employed, and nurseries benefit from greater demand and more sustainable operations.

Al-Momani also supports the Ministry of Labor’s decision to prioritize awareness and guidance before imposing penalties. He calls for practical cooperation between the ministry, the syndicate and employers to implement the alternatives permitted under the law, rather than reducing the issue to a question of violations and fines.

Greater cooperation between government institutions and the private sector, he argues, could produce more flexible solutions, particularly for businesses facing genuine difficulties in establishing childcare facilities at their own premises.