Am I paid if work stops because of my employer?
Kurdistan Region
Yes. If work stops because of the employer, full wages for the whole stoppage. Turning up ready but being prevented counts as working. A safety closure by the Ministry also keeps full wages.
- Labour Law No. 71 of 1987 · Art. 65/2, 33
- KRG Ministry of Labour Instruction No. 11 of 2023 · Art. 3/2
Federal Iraq
The same: full wages if the employer caused it; up to 30 days of wages if it was force majeure.
- Labour Law No. 37 of 2015 · Art. 72/2, 40
The law
The Kurdistan Region has no labour law of its own, so it still applies Iraqi Labour Law No. 71 of 1987. Federal Iraq has applied the newer Labour Law No. 37 since 2015.
اذا كان توقف العمل بسبب صاحب العمل, فعليه دفع اجور العمال كاملة طيلة فترة التوقفاذا حضر العامل مقر العمل وكان مستعدا لادائه وحالت دون ذلك اسباب لا يد له فيها, اعتبر كانه قد ادى عمله واستحق اجره.وئەو کرێکارانەی لە کار وەستان بەهۆیەوە ، مافی وەرگرتنی تەواوی مووچەکان هەیە لەماوەی داخستن وراگرتنی کارەکە بەپێی یاسای کار.اذا كان توقف العمل بسبب صاحب العمل فعليه دفع اجور العمال كاملة عن فترة التوقفاذا حضر العامل الى مكان العمل و كان مستعدا لادائه و حالت دون ذلك اسباب خارجة عن ارادته فيكون قد قام بالعمل و يستحق عنه الاجر .This is general information, not legal advice. It is for private-sector workers only, not government employees. It is written from the official texts of the laws named with each answer, checked on Oct 15, 2026. If anything differs, the official text of the law decides. For your own situation, speak to a lawyer or the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
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