Labour Code [LC], Act No 95-15 of 12 January 1995 as amended by Act n° 97-400 of 11 July 1997
(Code du Travail - in French only)
Fecha:11 Jul 1997;
(ver en NATLEX »)
Decree No. 96-195 on probationary employment and the length of the probationary period
(Décret relatif à l'engagement à l'essai et à la durée de la période d'essai - in French only)
Fecha:7 Mar 1996;
(ver en NATLEX »)
Decree No 96-200 on the length of the notice period
(Décret relatif à la durée du préavis de rupture du contrat de travail - in French only)
Fecha:7 Mar 1996;
(ver en NATLEX »)
Decree No 96-201 on severance allowance
(Décret relatif à l'indemnité de licenciement - in French only)
Fecha:7 Mar 1996;
(ver en NATLEX »)
Decree N° 96-287 on employment contracts
(Décret no 96-287 du 3 avril 1996 relatif au contrat de travail - in French only)
Fecha:3 Apr 1996;
(ver en NATLEX »)
Tamaño de las empresas excluidas (≤): ninguna
Categorías de trabajadores excluidas: funcionarios publicos
Art. 2 LC
CDD regulados: Si
Razones de utilización legítima de CDD: sin restricción
Art. 14.1 LC
Número máximo de CDD consecutivos: sin restricción
Art. 14.5 LC
Duración máxima acumulativa de CDD consecutivos: 24mes(es)
Art. 14.5 LC.
This limitation does not however apply to contracts with an unspecified term (i.e : contracts concluded to temporarily replace a worker who is absent, contract concluded to carry out seasonal work or temporary extra work) : art. 14.6 and 14-7 LC.
Duración maxima del periodo de prueba (en meses): 6 mes(es)
Art. 2 Decree N° 96-195.
The probationary period varies according to the category of workers as follows:
*1 month for monthly paid workers;
*2 months for supervisors, technicians ans similar workers;
*3 months for engineers, managers, high-level technicians and similar workers;
*8 days for workers paid on a hourly or daily basis.
It can be renewed once.
Obligación de motivar el despido:
Si
Art. 16.4 LC
* Art. 16.3 LC: any fair reason ("motif légitime")
In addition see provisions on dismissal on economic grounds (art. 16.7 LC) and summary dismissal for serious misconduct (art. 16.6 LC).
Art. 4 LC
Art. 23.3 and 23.5 LC
Art. 61.7 LC : prior authorization from the Labour Inspector required for the dismissal of worker's representatives.
Art. 62.3 LC: prior authorization from the Labour Inspector required for the dismissal of trade union representatives.
Art. 23.3 and 23.5 LC: prohibition to dismiss pregnant women and women on maternity leave.
Forma de la notificación del despido al trabajador: escrita
Art. 16.4 LC.
Plazo de preaviso:
See art. 1 Decree N°96-200, 7 March 1996:
1) Monthly-paid workers belonging to categories 1 to 5, the length of the notice period is:
- up to 6 years of service: 1 month;
- 6 to 11 years of service: 2 months;
- 11 to 16 years of service: 3 months;
- above 16 years of service: 4 months.
2) Monthly-paid workers belonging to categories 5 to 10:
- up to 16 years of service: 3 months;
- above 16 years of service: 4 months.
3) Workers paid on a hourly, daily, weekly and fortnightly basis:
- up to 6 months of service: 8 days;
- between 6 months and 1 year of service: 15 days;
- 1 to 6 years of service: 1 month;
- 6 to 11 years of service: 2 months;
- 11 to 16 years of service: 3 months;
- above 16 years of service: 4 months.
Notice period is doubled for workers having at least 6 months of service and suffering from permanent partial disabilities (over 40%).
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. 16.6 LC.
Notificación a la administración: No
Except in case of dismissal of a workers' representative: (art. 61.7 LC) and in the case of an individual economic dismissal (art. 16.7 and 16.8 LC).
Notificación a los representantes de los trabajadores: No
Except in the case of an individual economic dismissal: art. 16.7 and 16.8 LC.
Aprobación de la administración publica o de organismos judiciales: No
Except in case of dismissal of a workers' representative: art. 61.7 LC.
Acuerdo de los representantes de los trabajadores: No
Definición de despido colectivo (número de empleados afectados): No legal definition of collective dismissal. However, the Labour Code provides for a definition of economic dismissal and refers to more than 1 employee.
Art. 16.7 LC:
- The employer who intends to dismiss more than one worker for economic reasons must, before making his or her decision, arrange a meeting to consult with the workers' representatives who may be accompanied by trade union representatives (...)
- A dismissal ordered by an employer because of job dislocations and operational changes, due mainly to technological changes and restructuring, or to economic difficulties which are of such a nature as to compromise its operations and the financial equilibrium of the undertaking, will constitute a dismissal for economic reasons.
Consultación previa con los sindicatos (representantes de los trabajadores): Si
Art. 16.7 and 16.8 LC
Notificación a la administración: Si
Art. 16.7-16.9 LC
Notificación a los representantes de los trabajadores: Si
Art. 16.7 and 16.8 LC
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
No criteria listed in the LC (Art 16.8 LC refers to selection criteria as one of the elements to be transmitted to the workers' representatives for consultation).
Priority rules are listed in art. 38, ParagraphParagraph 1-2 of the 1977 Inter-occupational Collective Agreement. These are: professional skills, job tenure and family responsibilities. However, this part of article 38 has been implicitly abrogated by the articles of the labour Code that regulate collective dismissal.
Obligación del empleador de considerar solucionés alternativas al despido (transferencia, formación...): No
Reglas de prioridad para la re-contratación: Si
No provision in the LC. However priority right to re-employment is foreseen in art. 38, Paragraph 3 of the 1977 Inter-occupational Collective Agreement (1977)
The procedures established by the LC apply to both individual and collective dismissals based on economic grounds.
Indemnización por despido:
Art. 3 Decree N°96-200.
A worker is entitled to severance pay provided he has been employed continuously for a period of at least one year and he has not committed any serious misconduct. Severance pay corresponds to a percentage of the monthly overall wages for each year of service and is set according to the length of service as follows:
* 30% up to and including the fifth year;
* 35% from the sixth to the tenth year;
* 40% above 10 years of service.
duración de servicio ≥ 6 meses: 0 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 9 meses: 0 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 1 año: 0.3 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 4 años: 1.2 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 5 años: 1.5 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 10 años: 3.25 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 20 años: 7.25 mes(es)
Indemnización por despido por razones económicas:
No specific redundancy payment: severance pay covers dismissals for economic reasons.
duración de servicio ≥ 6 meses: 0 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 9 meses: 0 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 1 año: 0.3 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 2 años: 0.6 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 4 años: 1.2 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 5 años: 1.5 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 10 años: 3.25 mes(es)
duración de servicio ≥ 20 años: 7.25 mes(es)
Compensación por despido injustificado - libre determinación de la Corte: No
Art. 16.11 LC
Compensación por despido injustificado - límites legales (techo calculado en meses o método de calculo):
Maximum 18 months' pay.
Art. 16.11 LC
Posibilidad de readmisión: No
Conciliación previa obligatoria: Si
Art. 81.22 LC: conciliation shall be part of the procedure before the labour court.
Note also that pursuant to art. 81.1 LC, the dispute can be brought to the Labour Inspector for extra-judicial conciliation.
Corte o Tribunal competente: tribunal del trabajo
Art. 81.7 LC
Arbitraje: No