COUNTRY

Employment contracts in Burundi may be verbal or written. Employment contracts may be indefinite-term or fixed-term.

• A written employment contract must include:

• the name and address of the employer,

• the name and address of the employee,

• the employee’s birth date and place,

• the employee’s nationality,

• the members of the employee’s family,

• the employee’s trade or profession,

• the contract date and term,

• the work the employee will perform,

• the place where the employee will work,

• the employee’s classification in the company’s hierarchy,

• the salary, bonuses, allowances, family benefits and benefits in kind,

• other terms, and

• the signatures of the parties.

Employers in Burundi must give employees at least 24 consecutive hours of rest per week, typically on Sunday. The standard work week is eight hours per day and 40 hours per week.

Employers must pay overtime to employees who work more than 45 hours per week. Overtime rates are:

• 135% of the employee’s normal hourly rate for the first two overtime hours, and

• 160% of their normal hourly rate for additional hours.

Employers must pay 200% of the employee’s normal hourly rate to employees who work on Sundays or public holidays.

Employees in Burundi can take up to three months of paid sick leave per calendar year. Employees receive two-thirds of their normal wage while on paid sick leave.

Female employees in Burundi receive 12 weeks of paid maternity leave. The employee must take at least six weeks of maternity leave after childbirth. Employees on maternity leave receive 50% of their salary from their employer and 50% from the social security system.

Fathers in Burundi receive four days of paid paternity leave after the birth of their child.

Employees in Burundi are entitled to a minimum wage that is different in urban and rural areas. Burundi’s labor law does not require employers to pay bonuses.

Employees in Burundi get 20 days of annual leave after 12 months of service. Employees accrue one and two-thirds of a day of leave for every month of service. Employers must pay employees their normal wages during annual leave.

In Burundi, the public holidays are:

• New Year’s Day

• National Unity and Reconciliation Day

• Commemoration of the Assassination of President Cyprien Ntaryamira,

• Ascension Day

• International Labor Day

• National Day of Patriotism and Commemoration of the Death of President Pierre Nkurunziza

• Independence Day

• Assumption

• Commemoration of the Assassination of National Hero Prince Louis Rwagasore

• Commemoration of the Assassination of President Melchior Ndadaye

• All Saints Day

• Christmas

• Eid al-Fitr

• Eid al-Hajj

Employees in Burundi can purchase a Medical Assistance Card (Carte d’Assistance Médicale) (CAM) The CAM covers 80% of the cost of medical appointments, tests and medicine in public clinics and hospitals.

The healthcare system in Burundi is under-resourced. Employers may offer private health insurance with evacuation as a benefit.

An employer in Burundi can terminate an indefinite employment contract by giving the employee notice. The notice period is:

• one month if the employee has less than three years of service,

• 45 days if the employee has three to five years of service,

• two months if the employee has five to 10 years of service, and

• three months if the employee has more than 10 years of service.

An employer may dismiss an employee immediately if they pay the employee the wages for the notice period upfront.

Severance pay in Burundi is:

• one month of salary if the employee has three to five years of service,

• two months of salary if the employee has five to 10 years of service, and

• three months of salary if the employee has more than 10 years of service.