More traders support decision to limit working hours, says stakeholder 

AMMAN — The percentage of traders who support the decision of limiting working hours on their local business premises has reached 95 per cent, according to a stakeholder.

President of the Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) Khalil Hajj Tawfiq said in a statement made available to The Jordan Times, that the decision would take into consideration the particularities of sectors, while making sure that sector representatives are involved in the implementation of the decision.

This suggests that stores and shops would be open for up to 10pm or even as early as 8pm or 9pm, he told The Jordan Times.

Hajj Tawfiq  stressed that “the ACC and the JCC are not the executive bodies… rather both sides are concerned about serving citizens”, whereas the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) is the concerned party.

“The reason why this is a good idea is because people who work at or own private stores or shops would have more work-life balance,” Souheil Subhi, owner of a jewellery shop in Amman, told The Jordan Times. 

Subhi noted that having a particular hour when the business day ends would also relieve employees and employers’ concern that that they might be missing out on potential customers.

According to Mansour Al Dmoor, owner of a retail store in Amman’s Tabarbour area, “having restrictions on working hours or more clearly having limits on working hours, would lead to reduced competitiveness of retail trade”.