Unemployment insurance as a welfare policy (Focusig upon the labor law and the unemployment insurance scheme over covid-19 period)

Welfare policies are an essential aspect of government management in societies. This study aims to analyze the discourse of welfare policy in the Labor Law and the Unemployment Insurance Scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The research method used in this study is discourse analysis, based on the approach developed by Laclau and Mouffe. The texts of the Labor Law and the Unemployment Insurance Scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic were analyzed.

Iran has implemented welfare policies and programs since the 1979 Revolution. However, the discourse surrounding welfare policy in the field of unemployment insurance has varied among different governments. The mechanisms of welfare policy in terms of unemployment relief and job creation have changed over time. The discourse governing the Labor Law emphasizes "full employment social policy," while the discourse surrounding the Unemployment Insurance Scheme during Covid-19 focuses on "applying a comprehensive support policy”.

The discourse approaches to unemployment and related supports in Iran, as reflected in the Labor Law and the Unemployment Insurance Scheme, center around "deserved justice" for accessing short-term social security services. This means that only individuals covered by specific laws are entitled to insurance support, excluding those who do not meet certain criteria. This approach contradicts Article 29 of the Constitution, which emphasizes that social security is a universal right that should be provided for all members of society using public resources. This highlights the need for a more inclusive and comprehensive approach based on distributive justice.