Labour Code, updated to 2011
(Ley del 24 de mayo de 1939 Ley General del Trabajo - Vigente y Actualizada 2011)
Fecha:29 Mar 2023;
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Supreme Decree No 28699 of 2006 (Decreto Supremo Núm. 28699)
Fecha:1 May 2006;
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Code on Labour Procedure, 1979 (Código Procesal del Trabajo aprobado por DL 16896 de 25/07/1979)
Fecha:25 Jul 1979;
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Decree Law Nº 16187 of February 1979 (Decreto Ley Núm. 16187)
Fecha:16 Feb 1979;
Resolución Ministerial N º 283/62 del 13 de junio de 1962
Fecha:13 Jun 1962;
Legislative Decree No. 38 of 7 February 1944 modified and updated by Law No 3352 of February 2006.
Fecha:21 Feb 2006;
Tamaño de las empresas excluidas (≤): ninguna
Categorías de trabajadores excluidas: trabajadores agrícolas
Art. 1 of the Labour Code
CDD regulados: Si
Fixed term contracts are regulated with the Law Decree Nº 16187 of 1979
Razones de utilización legítima de CDD: razones materiales y objetivas
Art. 2 of Law Decree No 16187: FTC are not allowed for permanent tasks or for those that are characteristic of the business.
See also: Resolución Ministerial 283/62 of 13 June 1962 according to which the contract should, by default, be considered as a contract of undefinite duration, unless the nature of the task, work or service, justifies the conclusion of a FTC.
See also the principle of "labour stability" established under Article 11 of Supreme Decree No. 28699, of 1st May 2006.
Número máximo de CDD consecutivos: 2
Art. 2 of the Law Decree No 16187
Duración máxima acumulativa de CDD consecutivos: 12mes(es)
Resolución Ministerial No 283/62 del 13 de junio de 1962
Duración maxima del periodo de prueba (en meses): 3 mes(es)
Art. 13 of the Labour Code: When an employer or worker is dismissed for due to the employer´s initiative, the employer must compensate the worker for the service, with the amount of one month salary for every year of work. If the time of service does not amount to one year, compensation will be proportional to the number of worked months, excluding the three first months which are considered probationary period. If the employee has worked for more than 8 years, the compensation to be paid will be equally to the one paid in case of voluntary dismissal.
Note: Supreme Decree No. 17289, of 1980, exempts certain categories of workers from the probationary period of Article 13 of the Labour Code.
Art. 16 of the Labour Code sets out the following causes for the termination of employment and in these cases there is no entitlement to severance pay or compensation:
a) Intentional material damage to working tools/ instruments
b) Revelation of industrial secrets
c) Imprudence or omission impacting industrial security or hygiene
d) Partial or complete breach of agreement
e) Larceny or robbery committed by the employee
After the adoption of Supreme Decree No. 28699, of 1st May 2006, any dismissal that is based on grounds that are not included in the list established by Article 16 LC is to be considered against labour stability, which means that the worker affected can request the Labour Authority to order reinstatement. Therefore, only the grounds based on worker’s conduct are not prohibited (Art. 10, Supreme Decree No. 28699).
According to Art. 14 of the Bolivian Constitution, regarding trade union membership and activities, only the leaders of workers' organizations are protected; they cannot be dismissed without prior authorization from the Labour Court. (Art. 2 of the Legislative Decree No. 37 of 7 February 1944). Worker in state of pregnancy or in maternity leave are also protected from dismissals, according to Article 61 of the Labour Code and Supreme Decree No. 12 of 19 February 2009. Likewise, protection of workers with disabilities (and their family members, under certain conditions): Supreme Decree No 27477, of 6 May 2004.
Article 14 of the Constitution: General provision against discrimination
Trade union leaders: Under Art. 14 of the Bolivian Constitution, with respect to trade union membership and activities, only the leaders of workers' organizations are protected; they cannot be dismissed without prior authorization from the Labour Court. (Art. 2 of the Legislative Decree No. 37 of 7 February 1944).
Maternity protection: Article 61 of the Labour Code; Supreme Decree No. 12 of 19 February 2009
Protection of workers with disabilities (and their family members, under certain conditions): Supreme Decree No 27477, of 6 May 2004
Forma de la notificación del despido al trabajador: sin forma particular exigida
Plazo de preaviso:
Art. 12 of the LC provides for the following notice periods:
1. Labour contract with workers (”obreros"):
a.) 1 week of advance notice for contracts longer than one month;
b.) 15 days of advance notice for contracts longer than six months;
c.) 30 days of advance notice period for contracts longer than one year.
2. Labour contracts with employees ("empleados") require a notice period of 90 days if the contract has been consecutively longer than 3 months.
Note: the difference between “worker” and “employee” can be found in Article 2 of the Labour Code; the difference is based on the nature of the tasks for which they are contracted.
duración de servicio ≥ 6 meses:
duración de servicio ≥ 9 meses:
duración de servicio ≥ 2 años:
duración de servicio ≥ 4 años:
duración de servicio ≥ 5 años:
duración de servicio ≥ 10 años:
duración de servicio ≥ 20 años:
Indemnización sustitutiva de preaviso: Si
Art. 12 of the Labour Code
Notificación a la administración: No
Notificación a los representantes de los trabajadores: No
Aprobación de la administración publica o de organismos judiciales: No
Acuerdo de los representantes de los trabajadores: No
Definición de despido colectivo (número de empleados afectados): Collective dismissal is not defined by law. Article 14 of the Labour Code provides that in case of cease of activities due to bankruptcy or "verified losses" ("peridas comprobadas"), the compensation shall be half of the usual amount, and workers credits shall be given priority.
Consultación previa con los sindicatos (representantes de los trabajadores): No
Notificación a la administración: No
Notificación a los representantes de los trabajadores: No
Aprobación de la administración publica o de organismos judiciales: No
Acuerdo de los representantes de los trabajadores: No
Reglas de prioridad para los despidos colectivos (consideraciones sociales, edad, años de servicio): No
Obligación del empleador de considerar solucionés alternativas al despido (transferencia, formación...): No
Reglas de prioridad para la re-contratación: No
Compensación por despido injustificado - libre determinación de la Corte: No
Compensation for unfair dismissal - Are there legal limits?: Si
Compensación por despido injustificado - límites legales (techo calculado en meses o método de calculo): Article 13 of Labour Code provides that when the worker is dismissed by the employer for unfair reasons, the employer shall be obliged, regardless of the eviction, to compensate the worker for the time of service, with the sum equivalent to one month's salary or salary for each year of continuous work; and if the services do not reach one year, proportionally to the months worked; it will be computed from the date in which they were hired, verbally or in writing, including the months that are considered proof. Only the period corresponding to the initial period of the first three months is deemed to be a trial period, but not to subsequent periods resulting from renewal or extension. If the worker had more than 8 years of service, the compensation to be paid will be in qual amount of the one to be paid in case of voluntary dismissal.
Posibilidad de readmisión: Si
Articles 10 and 11 of Supreme Decree No. 28699 provides for the possibility for employees to choose between reinstatement or compensation in case of unfair dismissal.
If the employee opts for reinstatement, he/she can request the Labour Authority to issue a reinstatement order, provided that the dismissal is proved to be unjustified.
Conciliación previa obligatoria: No
Only for collective labour disputes
Corte o Tribunal competente: tribunal del trabajo
Article 6 of Labour Code Procedure provides that the special jurisdiction of labour and social security is exercised permanently:
a) By the Labour and Social Security Courts, as first instance courts;
b) By the National Labour and Social Security Court, as the Court of Appeal; and
c) By the Supreme Court of Justice in its Social and Administrative Chamber, as Court of Cassation.
Arbitraje: No
Only in the case of collective labour dispute
Carga de la prueba: empleador
Article 3 (h) Code of Labour Procedure.