Rwanda is one of the smallest countries in Africa, in the African Great Lakes region and bordering Burundi and Uganda among other nations. With an estimated population of 12 million, the country’s main ethnic groups are the Hutu, Tutsi, and Pygmy (TWA). As a result of European colonization, the governments and policies since independence tended to favor one ethnic group over the other, resulting in a horrific civil war and genocide in the early 1990s, where Hutu extremists are believed to have killed 500,000 to 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutu. Rwanda placed a huge emphasis on cultural and social recovery after the genocide, emphasizing governing mechanisms that prohibit classification by race or ethnic group, as well as enacting laws criminalizing genocide ideologies. Women’s empowerment has also played a significant role in its continuing development. Rwanda’s economy is still recovering from the ravages of both the genocide, as well as the 2008 global recession. The economy is based mostly on subsistence farming, but coffee and tea are major exports, where the country’s high altitudes make for favorable growing conditions.
Rwanda's Labor Code allows the use of fixed-term and indefinite employment contracts but does not provide further guidance on what constitutes permanent employment.
Rwanda's Labor Code allows employment contracts to be written or unwritten. However, the duration of an employment contract that is not in writing cannot exceed 90 consecutive days. Also, foreign employees who work in Rwanda must be provided with a written employment contract. The renewal of a fixed-term employment contract must also be in writing.
A written employment contract must contain information on identification of both parties, nature of work, salary and benefits terms, working hours, etc.
Rwanda's Labor Code allows for the employment of workers on a temporary basis. Employers can subcontract their work to other employers who employ their employees to work on such temporary roles. The subcontract provides for guarantee for the payment of salaries of and social security contributions for employees and other obligations of the employer towards the employee and work conditions.
Per Rwanda's Labor Code, the duration of probationary periods cannot exceed 3 months. However, after the employer notifies the employee with a written evaluation of the employee's performance, the employer can decide that an employee must redo the probationary period for a maximum of 3 more months if there are valid reasons related to the nature of the work, the employee's performance, and the employee's conduct.
If the probationary period comes to an end and the employee proves to be competent, the employee must be notified in writing and immediately offered employment. If the probationary period proves that an employee is not competent, the employer must notify the employee through a written performance evaluation. The employer may then terminate the employment contract without notice.
Rwanda's Labor Code states that the maximum working hours are 40 per week.
Employers can request employees to work overtime where:
The work necessitates urgency
The work is exceptional
The work is seasonal
The work is done to preserve or increase productivity
The work is of a special nature
Private-sector employees are entitled to a daily break of 1 hour and a weekly rest of 24 hours.
Rwanda's Labor Code states that every employee is entitled to paid leave of 1.5 working days per month. A newly hired employee can enjoy annual leave after 12 months of service, including any probationary period. Employees are entitled to 1 additional working day of annual paid leave for every 3 years of service with the same employer. However, an employee's total days of annual paid leave cannot exceed 21 working days. A worker under 18 years old is entitled to 2 working days' leave per month of continuous work. Official public holidays are not considered part of annual leave.
Per Rwanda's Labor Code, an employee who submits a written certificate signed by a recognized medical doctor is entitled to a short-term paid sick leave of up to 15 days. If more sick leave is needed, the employer may require the employee to submit a certificate signed by 3 recognized medical doctors. This second certificate entitles the employee to paid sick leave for another 3 months and unpaid sick leave for a further 3 months.
In Rwanda, female employees are entitled to 14 consecutive weeks of maternity leave at 100% of their remuneration. Employers must pay employees the full 14 weeks' salary during maternity leave, and they can request that the Rwandan Social Security Administration (SSA) reimburse maternity leave benefits for 8 weeks. Employees are eligible if they have contributed for at least 1 month to the maternity leave scheme before the leave begins and have a medical certificate of delivery. Employees are entitled to a breastfeeding break of 1 hour per day for 12 months from the date they resume work after maternity leave.
Employers may not terminate an employment contract due to the employee's pregnancy.
Male employees are entitled to 7 calendar days of paternity leave when their spouse gives birth and an additional 5 days in the event of complications related to the delivery suffered by the spouse or child born.
Rwanda's Labor Code states that if it is necessary to terminate a contract of employment with prior notice, the duration of the notice must be at least equal to:
15 days, if the employee has worked for less than a year
30 days, if the employee has worked for 1 year or more.
No notice period will apply to an employee during a probationary period. When an employment contract is terminated due to gross negligence, the party causing the contract to be terminated must notify the other party within 48 hours.
Per Rwanda's Labour Law, the dismissal of an employee who has completed at least 12 consecutive months of work generally entails payment of dismissal benefits by the employer ranging from 2 months' salary for less than 5 years' service to 7 months' salary for over 25 years of service. Benefits are paid to employees who are dismissed for economic, technological or sickness-related reasons. Benefits must be paid within 7 working days of dismissal.
