Employment Security

This page was last updated on: 2023-05-21

Written Employment Particulars

Employment contract is any contract, whether oral or in writing, whether expressed or implied, where a person agrees to work for an employer in return for remuneration. It includes a contract of apprenticeship as well.

 

Ugandan Labor Law requires that contract of employment should be in writing and written statement of particulars should be provided to a worker within twelve weeks of the commencement of employment.

 

Employment contract must include the following: full name and addresses of the contracting parties; date of employment commencement; job title; workplace; wages including payment intervals and other deductions; rate of overtime pay; employee’s normal hours of work and the shifts or days of week on which such work is to be performed; the number of days annual leave and wages during the period; terms relating to incapacity for work due to sickness or injury; length of notice; and sick pay. Employer is required to provide above information in language that a worker can easily understand.

 

In case of any amendment in the employment contract, the employer must issue a written notice to the worker to inform him/her about the amendment. Employer may also retain a copy of written particulars and the amendments in them and provide it to the labour officer on demand.

 

Source: §25 & 59 of the Employment Act 2006

Fixed Term Contracts

Ugandan Labor Law does not prohibit hiring fixed term contract workers for tasks of permanent nature. There is no regulation of fixed term contracts (their maximum duration or renewals) in the Employment Act. The Employment regulations of 2011 also do not regulate the use of fixed term contracts. They do however contain provisions on specific categories of temporary employees, namely casual employee, piece work employees and task work employees..

 

The casual employees may be employed for a maximum of 4 months. If these workers are engaged continuously for 4 months, a casual employee ceases to be a casual employee and all rights and benefits enjoyed by other employees shall apply to him/her (Reg. 39). The piece work employee may be engaged for a maximum period of 3 months unless the person has a contract (Reg. 40)

 

Source: §39, 40, 41 of the Employment Regulations 2011

Probation Period

Probationary contract is a contract of employment which is not of more than 6 months duration. It is concluded in writing and states that it is for probationary period.

Maximum length of probation period is 6 months but it may be extended to 1 year with the consent of a worker. An employer may not place the same worker twice under probation. A probationary contract may be terminated by either party after giving at least 14 days' notice or by the employer after paying 7 days' wages in lieu of notice.

Source: § 67 of the Employment Act 2006

Regulations on Employment Security

  • The Employment Act, 2006

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