FTC regulated: Yes

Remarks

Article 30 of the Labour Code (as of 2017)

Valid reasons for FTC use: objective and material reasons

Remarks

Article 29 of the Labour Code

Maximum number of successive FTCs: 2

Remarks

Update as of 2017: Article 30 1(2) LC states that the number of defined 1-year contracts can no exceed two years. That means technically that the maximum number of successive FTCs is two.

However, Article 30 LC further elaborates on exceptions to Article 30 1.(2) :
Article 30 1. (3) Contracts for the execution of a particular work;
Article 30 1. (4) Replacement for the temporarily absent employee;
Article 30 1. (5) For seasonal work;
Article 30 1. (6) Migrant workers;
Article 30 2. Small business owners can hire workers on definite contracts with no time limitations;
Article 30 5. Contracts of workers in retirement age can can be extended for one year indefinitely.

Maximum number of successive FTCs: no limitation

Remarks

Update as of 2017: Article 30 1(2) LC states that the number of defined 1-year contracts can no exceed two years. That means technically that the maximum number of successive FTCs is two.

However, Article 30 LC further elaborates on exceptions to Article 30 1.(2) :
Article 30 1. (3) Contracts for the execution of a particular work;
Article 30 1. (4) Replacement for the temporarily absent employee;
Article 30 1. (5) For seasonal work;
Article 30 1. (6) Migrant workers;
Article 30 2. Small business owners can hire workers on definite contracts with no time limitations;
Article 30 5. Contracts of workers in retirement age can can be extended for one year indefinitely.

Maximum cumulative duration of successive FTCs: 2year(s)

Remarks

See comments above under maximum number of successive FTCs.

Maximum cumulative duration of successive FTCs: no limitation

Remarks

See comments above under maximum number of successive FTCs.

Maximum probationary (trial) period (in months): 3 month(s)

Remarks

Article 36 of the Labour Code
For workers in executive positions and their deputies, accountants and their deputies, heads of branches and representative of the organizations – the probation may extent to six month period.

Obligation to provide reasons to the employee: Yes

Remarks

Art. 53 of the Labour Code

Valid grounds (justified dismissal): worker's conduct, worker's capacity, economic reasons

Remarks

Art. 52 of the Labour Code states that:

1.An employment contract with an employee on the initiative of the employer may be terminated in the following cases:
1) liquidation of a legal entity employer or termination of the activities of an individual employer;
2) reduction in staff numbers or positions;
3) decrease in the volume of production, work performed and services provided, which led to worsening of the economic state of the employer;
4) unfitness of the employee for the position held or work performed as a consequence of inadequate qualifications;
5) unfitness of the employee for the position held or work performed as a consequence of health reasons hampering continued performance of the given work;
6) repeated failure to verify the knowledge on safety and health or industrial safety issues by the employee responsible for ensuring the safety and health of the work of the organization carrying out production activities
7) a negative result of work performed during a probationary period;
8) absence of the employee from work without good reason for a period of three or more hours in a row during a single working day (work shift);
9) presence of the employee at work under the influence of alcohol, narcotics or toxic substances (or their analogues), including in cases of consumption during the working day of intoxicating substances (or their analogues);
10) refusal to undergo a medical examination to establish the fact of using substances causing a state of alcohol, narcotic, toxicomaniac intoxication, confirmed by the relevant act
11) violation by the employee of the rules for labour safety or fire safety or traffic safety entailing or capable of entailing serious consequences, including injuries and accidents;
12) theft (including minor theft) by the employee in the work place of other people’s property, its deliberate destruction or damage, as established by a sentence or court ruling that has come into legal effect;
13) culpable actions or inaction on the part of an employee dealing with money or goods if these actions or inaction provide grounds for the employer to loose his trust in him;
14) an immoral act carried out by an employee fulfilling educational functions that is incompatible with continued performance of the given work;
15) divulgence by the employee of information constituting state secrets or other secrets protected by law that he acquired in connection with performance of his job duties;
16) repeat failure by the employee to fulfil or duly fulfil his job duties, without good reason, provided a disciplinary sanction has been imposed thereon;
17) knowing provision by the employee to the employer of false documents or information on conclusion of the employment contract, if the genuine documents or information might constitute grounds for refusal to conclude the employment contract;
18) violation by the head of the employer’s executive body, his deputy or heads of subdivisions of the employer of their job duties resulting in material damage to the employer;
19) termination of the employee’s access to state secrets in cases established by the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
20) absence of the employee from work for over two months in a row as a consequence of temporary disability, with the exception of cases when the employee is on maternity leave or if the relevant disease is included on the list of illnesses for which a longer term of disability is established, approved by the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
For an employee disabled in connection with an industrial accident or occupational disease, his job (position) is retained until his working capacity is restored or disability established;
21) a corruption-related crime committed by the employee and excluding, in accordance with a judicial act, the possibility of his continued work.
22) continuation of the employee's participation in the strike after bringing to their attention the court's decision to recognize the strike as illegal or to suspend the strike;
23) termination of authority of the head of the executive body, members of the collegial executive body of the legal persons, as well as in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Joint-Stock Companies" employees of the internal audit service and the corporate sector by decision of the owner of the property of the legal entity or authorized by the owner of the legal persons;
24) the employee's achievement of the retirement age established by clause 1 of Article 11 of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan "On Pensions in the Republic of Kazakhstan", with the right of annual extension of the term of the employment contract by mutual agreement of the parties;
25) employees absence from work for more than one month, for reasons unknown to the employer. (...)

Prohibited grounds: pregnancy, maternity leave, family responsibilities, temporary work injury or illness, race, sex, religion, political opinion, social origin, nationality/national origin, age, trade union membership and activities, disability, language, property, gender identity, place of residence

Remarks

Art. 52 of the Labour Code on the grounds for termination of employment
Art. 54 of the Labour Code prohibits the termination in the cases of temporary incapacity for work, pregnancy, women with children under the age of three, single mothers with a child under the age of fourteen or a disabled child up to the age of eighteen, other persons raising this category of children without a mother
Art. 6 of the Labour Code on prohibition of discrimination
Art. 175 of the Labour Code on the right to strike

Workers enjoying special protection: workers' representatives, pregnant women and/or women on maternity leave, workers with family responsibilities, workers with disabilities

Remarks

Art. 52 of the Labour Code on the grounds for termination of employment
Art. 54 of the Labour Code prohibits the termination in the cases of temporary incapacity for work, pregnancy, women with children under the age of three, single mothers with a child under the age of fourteen or a disabled child up to the age of eighteen, other persons raising this category of children without a mother-
Art. 6 of the Labour Code on prohibition of discrimination
Art. 175 of the Labour Code on the right to strike

Notification to the worker to be dismissed: written

Remarks

Art. 53 of the Labour Code

Notice period:

Remarks

Article 53 LC. Procedure for termination of the employment contract by the employer

1. When an employer terminates an employment contract for the reasons provided for in article 52, paragraph 1 (1) and (2), of this Code, the employer must notify the employee in writing of the termination of the contract at least one month in advance, unless a longer notice period is stipulated in the employment contract or collective agreement. With the employee's written consent, the employment contract may be terminated before the expiry of the notice period. (...)
2. In the event of termination of an employment contract on the grounds stipulated in article 52, paragraph 1 (3), of this Code, the employer must notify the employees in writing of the termination of the employment contract 15 working days in advance, unless a longer notice period is stipulated in the employment or collective agreements. (...)

However, each of the grounds for contract termination outlined in Article 52 LC has its own procedure outlined in Article 53. One month notice is not applicable to all of the grounds. Notice period varies from 10 calendar days to 15 working days to 1 month. Some instances do not indicate on notice period (e.g. medical conditions, grounds for alcoholics).

On the basis that Article 53 LC provides for two different length of notice (either 15 days or 1 month) depending on the type of economic dismissal, an average between the two is taken in the table hereunder, i.e. 21 days.

On the basis of Article 53(3-10) LC, notice period is not considered for dismissals based on the non-economic grounds provided under Article 52(4-25).

tenure ≥ 6 months:

  • All: 21 day(s).

tenure ≥ 9 months:

  • All: 21 day(s).

tenure ≥ 1 year:

  • All: 21 day(s).

tenure ≥ 2 years:

  • All: 21 day(s).

tenure ≥ 4 years:

  • All: 21 day(s).

tenure ≥ 5 years:

  • All: 21 day(s).

tenure ≥ 10 years:

  • All: 21 day(s).

tenure ≥ 20 years:

  • All: 21 day(s).

Pay in lieu of notice: No

Remarks

Art. 53 of the Labour Code states that with the written consent of the worker the termination can be made effective before the expiration of the notice period.

Again not applicable to all situations (see above 'notice period').

Notification to the public administration: No

Notification to workers' representatives: No

Remarks

Update as of 2016: Article 18 (2) of the Trade Union Law provides that the trade union can submit an opinion regarding the termination of the contract of its members.

Approval by public administration or judicial bodies: No

Approval by workers' representatives: No

Definition of collective dismissal (number of employees concerned): There is no definition of the collective dismissal in the Labour Code

Prior consultations with trade unions (workers' representatives): No

Notification to the public administration: Yes

Remarks

Article 28.2(2) of the Law on Employment: The employer has to notify, one month in advance, the public service of employment about any contemplated redundancies.

Notification to workers' representatives: Yes

Approval by public administration or judicial bodies: No

Approval by workers' representatives: No

Priority rules for collective dismissals (social considerations, age, job tenure): No

Employer's obligation to consider alternatives to dismissal (transfers, retraining...): No

Priority rules for re-employment: No

Severance pay:

Remarks

Article 131 of the Labour Code

The severance pay is the average monthly wage. Article 131.3 notes the possibility of a higher severance pay provided in collective agreement.

tenure ≥ 6 months: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 9 months: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 1 year: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 4 years: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 5 years: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 10 years: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 20 years: 1 month(s)

Redundancy payment:

Remarks

Article 131 of the Labour Code

Article 131.1 LC states that in case of liquidation, reduction of staff – pay is the average wage for one month.

However, Article 131.2 LC states that in case of decrease in the volume of production, performed work and services provided by the enterprise, the pay is the average wage for two months.

tenure ≥ 6 months: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 9 months: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 1 year: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 2 years: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 4 years: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 5 years: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 10 years: 1 month(s)

tenure ≥ 20 years: 1 month(s)

Compensation for unfair dismissal - free determination by court: No

Remarks

Art. 177 of the Labour Code states that compensation is an alternative measure to dismissal only when an employee demands so. The compensation amounts to the payback of wages between the date of dismissal and the date of reinstatement, but not more than six monthly wages. In case of reinstatement, the employee is still entitled to this payback.

Compensation for unfair dismissal - Are there legal limits?: Yes

Reinstatement available: Yes

Remarks

Art. 177 of the Labour Code

Reinstatement is a primary measure for unlawful dismissals. It can be replaced by a compensation, up to 6 months of monthly earnings, on the demand of the employee.

Preliminary mandatory conciliation: Yes

Remarks

Art. 159 of the Labour Code states that the individual labour disputes are considered by the conciliation commissions and/or courts.

Competent court(s) / tribunal(s): ordinary courts

Remarks

Art. 159 of the Labour Code