Ethiopia PEO Services

Global PEO Services (GPS) helps companies hire employees in Ethiopia without establishing a legal entity. All human resources, benefits, payroll, and tax needs for the employees are managed by the Global PEO, while the new hires and headquarter teams focus on your business goals.

When hiring employees in Ethiopia, establishing a subsidiary or branch office is not always the best route, as it’s often a lengthy and expensive process. Hiring via a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), or Employer of Record (EOR), is a faster and often more effective option – especially when starting up in a new country.

Global PEO Services hires the employees on your behalf, legally contracting them through our subsidiary in accordance with Ethiopia labor laws. As a result, the burden of compliance is on us and the employees can begin work for your company in a matter of days. PEOs/EORs provide you with a streamlined option for hiring employees, testing markets, and responding to growing business needs in Ethiopia. With Global PEO Services, you get control without taking on legal entity liabilities, contractor risks, or sacrificing on talent or speed to market.

An employment contract is deemed to have been concluded for an indefinite period except for the contracts of definite period or piecework. The employment contract must be stipulated clearly and must not be concluded for the performance of unlawful or immoral activities. It must contain provisions that are more favorable for the worker than those provided by the law, collective agreement or work rules.  If an employment contract is not made in writing, the employer is required to provide a written statement of employment particulars within 15 days of the conclusion of employment contract.

A written employment contract (or a statement of particulars in the absence of employment contract) must specify the following: the name and address of the employer; the name, age, address and the work card number of the worker; type of employment; workplace; rate of wages as well as method of their calculation; manner and interval of wage payment; and duration of the contract. It must be signed by both parties.

In case the employer does not comply with these provisions, the worker must not be deprived of his/her rights under this proclamation.

Fixed-Term Contracts

The Ethiopian labor Law prohibits hiring fixed-term contract workers for tasks of permanent nature. A contract of employment may be concluded for a definite period/fixed term or for piecework in the case of:

• the performance of specified piece work for which the employee is employed;
• the replacement of a worker who is temporarily absent due to leave or sickness or other causes;
• the performance of work in the event of abnormal pressure of work;
• the performance of urgent work to prevent damage or disaster to life or property, to repair defects or break downs in works;
• materials, buildings or plant of the undertaking;
• an irregular work which relates to permanent part of the work of an employer but performed on irregular intervals; seasonal works which relate to the permanent part of the works of an employer but performed only for a specified period of the year but which are regularly repeated in the course of the years;
• an occasional work which does not form part of the permanent activity of the employer but which is done intermittently;
• the temporary placement of a worker who has suddenly and permanently vacated from a post having a contract of an indefinite period;
• the temporary placement of a worker to fill a vacant position in the period between the study of the organizational structure and its implementation.

The Labor Proclamation does not limit the maximum term (including renewals) of the fixed term contract except in the last two cases where it specifies that the contract may not exceed 45 consecutive days and has to be concluded only once.

Probation Period

In accordance with the Labor Proclamation, a probationary period is the initial period of execution of an employment contract to test the suitability of a worker to the assigned position. Probationary period must be declared in writing, however, it may not exceed 45 consecutive days. A worker reemployed by the same employer for the same job cannot be subjected to probation. Probationers have the same rights and obligations as other workers.

If a worker is found unfit for the job during probation, employer terminates the employment contract without notice and without obligation to pay any severance pay or any compensation. A worker may also terminate the employment contract without any notice.

Holidays

The following paid public holidays are observed in Ethiopia:

• Jan. 7: ‘Gena’ – Ethiopian Christmas
• Jan. 19: ‘Timkat’ – Ethiopian Epiphany
• March 2: Victory of Adwa Commemoration Day
• May 1: International Labor Day
• May 5: Ethiopian Patriots Victory day
• May 28: Overthrow of the Derg Regime
• Sept. 11: ‘Enkutatash’ – Ethiopian New Year
• Sept. 27: ‘Meskel’ – Finding of the True Cross
• Ethiopian Good Friday
• Ethiopian Easter
• Id Al Adha
• ‘Mawlid’ – The Birth of the Prophet Mohammed
• Id Al Fater-End of Ramedan

Holidays without specific dates have different calendar dates each year.

Annual Leave

Employers must provide 14 days’ annual leave to employees who have completed at least 26 days of service during their first year of employment. The amount of annual leave must increase by 1 day for each year of additional service.

Marriage Leave

Employers must provide newly wedded employees with 3 days’ paid leave.

Bereavement Leave

Employers must allow for 3 days’ paid leave to employees whose parent, spouse, or child passed away.

Union Leave

Employers must grant paid leave to leaders of a trade union for purposes including presenting cases in labor disputes, attending union meetings, negotiating collective agreements, seminars or training courses.

Civil Leave

Employers must grant employees with paid leave for the purpose of performing civil duties.

Sick Leave

Employers must provide paid sick leave to all employees who have completed their probationary period. The leave may not exceed 6 months in a 12-month period. Sick leave is compensated at regular wages for the 1st month of leave, 50% of regular wages for the second month of leave and is provided as unpaid leave thereafter.

Maternity Leave 

Pregnant employees are provided with 30 consecutive days’ paid leave before the due date of the childbirth and 60 consecutive days after the childbirth.