Undoubtedly, payroll is a critical process for any organization. The pay cycle in Jordan refers to the period for which an organization pays its employees, and this can vary depending on the pay frequency that the organization chooses to adopt.

In Jordan, the pay cycle is monthly.

Paying the salaries for the thirteenth and fourteenth months is not mandated by law. 

In Jordan, The minimum wage is JOD 260.000 per month. 

Employees shall be entitled to overtime pay if the daily working time exceeds 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week.  

An employee would also be entitled to overtime pay for the following purposes where overtime work is considered mandatory: 

Performing the annual inventory works of the establishment, preparing the balance sheet, and the final accounts provided that such overtime work is performed for a period not exceeding 30 days in a year while the actual working hours shall not exceed 10 hours per day. 

To prevent damage to the goods, avoiding exposing them to any other material is essential. This helps to mitigate the risks associated with technical work or any other activities involved in receiving, delivering, or transferring specific materials. 

However, employees undertaking the tasks of general supervision or management in any establishment and who work in some cases outside the establishment or whose work nature entails traveling inside Jordan or abroad are not subject to the overtime mentioned above work limitations. 

Pay – An employee who works overtime is entitled to a remuneration that is not less than 125% of the normal wage. 

Jordan does not specify how long records must be kept. 

Generally, taxpayers must maintain books and records in case they are subject to inspection by tax authorities. 

Employers in Jordan must maintain records regarding compensation and benefits provided to employees. 

The following public holidays are observed in Jordan: 

• Jan 1: New Year's Day 
• Apr. 9: Easter Sunday 
• Apr. 10: Easter Monday 
• Apr. 21 to Apr. 23: Eid al-Fitr 
• May 1: Labour Day 
• June 27 to July 1: Eid Al-Adha Holiday 
• Jul 19: Islamic New Year 
• Jul 20: Prophet Muhammad's Birthday 
• Dec 25: Christmas Day 

Every worker is entitled to fourteen days a year of sick leave with full pay based on a report by the medical practitioner approved by the establishment. Sick leave may be extended to an additional fourteen days with full pay if the worker is hospitalized and with half pay if the worker is not hospitalized but provides a report from a medical commission approved by the establishment. 

Women workers are entitled to maternity leave with full pay for ten weeks, including rest before and after delivery. Leave after delivery shall be at least six weeks long, and employment before the expiry of such a period shall be prohibited. 

After the maternity leave period expires, every woman worker is entitled, within one year of delivery, to take time off with pay to nurse her newborn baby, provided that total time off does not exceed one hour a day. 

An employee is entitled to paid leave for three days after the child's birth. 

Annual Leave: Every worker is entitled to annual leave with full pay for fourteen days for every year of employment. This leave is extended to twenty-one days when the same employer has employed the worker for five consecutive years. 

Paid leave:

An employee is entitled to paid leave for 14 days each year in any of the following cases: 

*If an employee has joined a course for labor education approved by the Ministry upon the employer's candidacy or the establishment's manager in cooperation with the concerned association. 

*For pilgrimage, if an employee has been in the employer's service for at least five consecutive years. Such leave shall only be granted once during the employee's service period. 

Spouse Leave:

If a working couple in Jordan relocates outside their current governorate or moves to work in a foreign country, they are entitled to take unpaid leave for a maximum period of two years. 

The employee may get unpaid leave of 4 months if the employee joins an approved university, institute, or college to study. 

In case of an indefinite employment contract, one-month advance notice must be served to the employee to terminate the contract. However, in some cases, there is no need for prior notice to terminate a contract. 

Those circumstances are as follows: 

• Assumption of fake identity and submission of fake certificates 
• Failure to fulfill contractual obligations 
• Material damage to the employer 
• Failure to adhere to internal regulations despite two warnings 
• Absence from work for more than twenty days without any cause or prior notice 
• Disclosure of work secrets 
• Being guilty of criminal offenses or immoral conduct 
• Being intoxicated or under the influence of drugs at work 
• Insulting or striking at fellow employees and authority 

For each year of service, the employee is entitled to severance compensation equal to half a month's salary (or 50% of the total income), computed using the last wage the employee received and a minimum of two months' salary. 

Employee Personnel Records (after termination) - 3 years 

Time Cards For Hourly Employees - 3 years 

Accident Report, Claims - 6 years 

Payroll records - 6 years 

Time books - 6 years 

Employers may conduct background checks on prospective employees only after a conditional offer of employment has been made and accepted by the prospective employee. A best practice is to have the prospective employee sign and accept the conditional job offer letter along with written Authorization to Conduct a Background Check. This provides evidence of the job offer, the employee's acceptance, and the authorization for the background check. 

Verification services are mentioned below for obtaining a background check: 

Criminal record: 

Requirements: Name, date of birth, full address, release 

The criminal record search in Jordan is conducted through the local level court based on the jurisdiction of the city provided. This search will report back felony-level convictions in the past seven years. The report may include case type, file date, file location, case number, charge information, disposition information, and sentencing information.  

Civil record:  

Requirements: Name, date of birth, address, release 

This search is conducted at the local level through the court based on the jurisdiction of the city provided. The report may include case type, file date, case number, name of the court where the case was filed, plaintiff, defendant, and disposition if a case can be located. 

Education degree verification: 

Requirements: Name, date of birth, school name, degree, major, dates of attendance, city of the school, degree copy, and release form 

An applicant inflating their educational accomplishments is one of the most common occurrences on an applicant's resume or application.  

Employment Verification: 

Requirements: Name, date of birth, employer name and contact information, dates of employment, position held, and release form 

Past employment verification is recommended for all employees. 

Professional Reference check: 

Requirements: Applicant name and date of birth, reference's relationship, contact name and contact information (including phone number and email address)