Last Change:
04/07/2025
Labor Code of Somalia
Year: 1972
Type: Domestic law
Rights Category: Work & Workplace rights
Description
The labor code combines issues relating to fundamental principles and rights at work, employment contracts, labor relations, safety and health, industrial training, wages and remuneration, labor institutions, and the institutions of social dialogue in a single legislation.
Selected provisions
Forced or compulsory labour is forbidden in any form.
While the mechanism to set the official minimum wage by the presidential decree (Labour Code, Article 72) is not currently functioning, the market rate is available for each job type in different locality. The fair market rate will be identified and applied for project workers.
An employer may engage a foreign worker provided that: (a) the foreign worker has a valid work permit issued by the competent authority; (b) the employment of the foreign worker is necessary for the operation of the undertaking; and (c) no qualified Somali worker is available to fill the vacancy.
The term 'children' means persons of either sex who have not attained the age of 15 years and the term 'young persons' means those who have attained the age of 15 years but have not attained the age of 18 years.
Forced or compulsory labour is forbidden in any form.
Either of the contracting parties may terminate a contract of employment by giving written notice as under: (a) Not less than ten days in the case of manual workers; (b) Not less than 30 days in the case of non-manual workers.
Any individual labor dispute may be submitted by any of the parties to the competent district labor inspector for conciliation, where such labor inspector is available. The inspector is mandated to attempt to settle the dispute within 14 days of its submission.
The minimum wages for any category of workers may be determined by decree of the President of the Republic, on the proposal of the Minister, having heard the Central Labour Commission, and with the approval of the Council of Secretaries.
Any discrimination, exclusion, or preference in respect of employment based on race, color, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction, or social origin shall be prohibited.
Workers and employers shall have the right to enter into collective bargaining agreements on conditions of employment, wages, and dispute settlement.