COUNTRY

Employment contracts in Liberia may be written or oral. They may be for a definite or indefinite period, or for specific work. Employment contracts include:

• rights and obligations of the employee and employer,

• name of the employee and employer,

• place of employment,

• nature of the employment,

• duration of the employment,

• notice period,

• payment terms, and

• conditions of repatriation.

The standard workweek in Liberia is 48 hours, with six eight-hour days. Employees can work up to 12 hours per day, provided they work no more than a total of 48 hours per week. Employees can work overtime for a maximum of five hours in a week. Overtime work is paid 50% above the employee's normal wages.

Employees receive 10 days of paid sick leave in Liberia for every year of continued service. Sick leave accumulates throughout an employee’s years of service.

Female employees are entitled to at least 14 weeks of maternity leave in Liberia. Six weeks must be taken immediately after birth. Male employees are entitled to five days of unpaid paternity leave. Paternity leave must be taken after childbirth.

Liberia has a mnimum wage. Employers are not required to pay bonuses.

Employees receive between one and four weeks of paid annual leave in Liberia. Employees receive one week of annual leave during the first year of employment, two weeks during the second year of employment, three weeks during the third and fourth years of employment, and four weeks after five years of employment. Annual leave should be taken in a single period, but employees with more than one week of annual leave can divide that leave into two parts, provided one period is at least one week.

In Liberia, the public holidays are:

• New Year

• Armed Forces Day

• Decoration Day

• J. J. Roberts Birthday

• Fast and Prayer Day

• National Unification Day

• Independence Day

• Flag Day

• Thanksgiving

• William Tubman’s Birthday

• Christmas Day

Liberia is working toward a universal healthcare system that can provide care to all citizens.

An employer must have just cause to dismiss an employee in Liberia. The cause must be related to the employee’s performance of the work, the employee’s conduct or the operational requirements of the business. An employer can immediately dismiss an employee without notice for grave misconduct that makes it impossible to continue the employment relationship. The notice period for termination in Liberia is between four weeks after 12 months of service. Shorter periods apply if the employee has worked fewer than 12 months. Employees receive severance pay when they are dismissed due to economic reasons or for redundancy.