COUNTRY

Employment contracts in Uganda can be oral or written. If the contract is written, it must be in the language understood by both employer and employee. Employment contracts must contain:

• address of employee and employer,

• title and nature of the job,

• salary details,

• overtime pay rate,

• working hours,

• commencement date,

• notice period, and

• severance pay.

If the contract is oral the employer is required to provide a written copy of the contract to an employee on request. Written contracts must be signed by both the employer and the employee.

The standard workweek in Uganda is 48 hours over six days. Employees are not allowed to work more than 10 hours in a single working day or work over 50 hours in a workweek. Exceptions apply for shift work. Employees are entitled to extra pay for performing work above normal work hours.

Employees working at least 16 hours a week are entitled to paid sick leave in Uganda after one month of continuous employment. This sick leave is paid at 100% of the employee’s normal wages.

Female employees receive 60 days of paid maternity leave in Uganda. At least four weeks of maternity leave must be taken after the birth of the child. Maternity leave can be extended by up to four weeks in the event of illness or complications related to the birth. Male employees are entitled to four days of paternity leave in Uganda.

Employers in Uganda are not required to provide bonuses to their employees. However, bonuses based on performance are common.

Employees in Uganda are entitled to 21 days of paid annual leave after six months of continuous employment provided that they work a minimum number of hours per week. Additional vacation may be included in collective bargaining agreements.

In Uganda, the public holidays are:

• New Year's Day

• Liberation Day

• Remembrance of Archbishop Janani Luwum

• International Women's Day

• Good Friday

• Easter Monday

• Labor Day

• Eid al-Fitr

• Martyr's Day

• National Heroes Day

• Eid al-Adha

• Independence Day

• Christmas Day

• Boxing Day

Uganda provides universal healthcare. However, employers often offer supplementary private healthcare insurance.

An employment contract can be terminated in Uganda at the end of the contract term (if for a fixed period), by the employer with notice, or by the employee with or without notice. An employer can dismiss an employee without notice if the employee has fundamentally broken their obligations under the employment contract. Otherwise, the employer must provide the employee with notice. The notice period is between two weeks and three months depending on the employee’s length of service.