This provision is respected in practice. Child labor is common in the agricultural sector, particularly during planting and harvesting seasons, and in the informal market. Child labor laws are enforced in the industrial sector. The legal workday is 8 hours and the legal workweek is 44 hours, with required premium pay for overtime. Health and safety regulations are outdated and enforcement is inadequate.
Labor laws apply throughout the entire private sector, including free zones.
There are serious allegations that some free zone businesses resort to illegal methods to prevent union formation. The Ministry of Labor lacks the resources and support from the judicial system to adequately monitor free zone company activities, although the Ministry is working on improving the size and training of its inspection corps. Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links does not imply endorsement of contents.