Source: https://eplex.ilo.org/probationary-trial-period/
Timestamp: 2020-07-07 19:47:51
Document Index: 241324792

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art.2', 'Art. 34', 'Art. 17', 'Art. 18', 'Art. 92', 'Art. 13', 'Art. 43', 'Art. 122', 'Art. 14', 'Art.2', 'Art. 14', 'Art. 2', 'Art. 60', 'art. 58', 'Art. 16', 'Art. 75', 'Art. 8', 'Art. 14', 'Art. 39', 'Art. 39', 'Art. 39', 'art. 10', 'art. 10', 'art. 112', 'art. 111', 'Art 114', 'art. 114', 'Art. 13', 'Art. 11', 'Art. 28', 'Art. 28', 'Art. 18', 'Art. 10', 'Art. 18', 'Art. 27', 'Art. 27', 'Art. 67', 'Art. 28', 'Art. 7']

Legal Coverage Fixed-term contracts (FTCs) Probationary (trial) period Valid and prohibited grounds for dismissal Workers enjoying special protection against dismissal Procedures for individual dismissal Procedures for collective dismissal Redundancy and severance pay Redress
The probationary or trial period is a minimum employment period during which an employee is not fully covered by employment protection legislation. Convention No. 158 provides that “workers serving a period of probation or a qualifying period of employment, determined in advance and of reasonable duration” may be excluded from all or some of the provisions of the Convention (Art.2(2)(b)). Statutory provisions differ in the exemptions that are permitted, including whether:
(1) protection against unfair dismissal does not apply;
(2) different valid grounds for dismissal, as compared to the general regime are applied;
(3) different notification or severance pay rules; or
(4) various combinations of these cases.
The existence of such exemptions may lead countries to place limits on the duration of the probationary or trial period.
Fixed-term contracts may sometimes be used for the purpose of probation. Thus, for a more complete understanding of the issue, the regulation of probationary periods should be examined jointly with the regulation of fixed-term contracts.
Latest year	2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
Maximum probationary (trial) period (in months)
between and months
Over 85% of EPLex countries place at least some limits on the duration of probationary periods
Art. 34 of New Labour Act provides that probationan periods may last 6 months, expect for a crew member of the long-distance merchant navy, which may last longer, ie until the return of the ship to the home port. (Paragraph 2).
Europe N 6
Art. 17(1) LC.
Asia N 3
Art. 18 GLA: The standard probationary period shall be 60 days. However, the parties can extend this period, in writing, to 4 months when a highly qualified employee is concerned, or to 6 months when the worker is hired to perform highly complex technical work or if he/she occupies a managerial position which requires high level education.
Africa N 6
Art. 92 LCL: the first three months of employment of indeterminate contracts, except for seasonal work referred to in Article 96 LCL, are considered a probationary period.
Americas N 3
Asia N 12
2019 Azerbaijan
Europe N 3
Asia N 6
Europe N 0	N
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.
2019 Canada (Federal only)
Americas Y
2019 Congo, Democratic Republic
Art. 43 LC: the probationary period cannot exceed 1 month for unskilled blue-collar workers and 6 months for the other categories of workers.
Art. 122 LC:
The duration of the probationary period varies according to the worker's category, as follows:
- 8 days for hourly, daily, weekly and fortnightly paid workers;
- 2 months for first-line supervisors;
- 3 months for executive staff.
(6 months = max. probationary period for executives including renewal)
2019 Côte d'Ivoire
Art. 14.5 LC: "Le contrat de travail, qu'il soit à durée déterminée ou à durée indéterminée, peut comporter une période d'essai dont la durée totale maximale est fixée par décret."
Art.2 du Décret No. 96-195.- Dans l’un ou l’autre cas, la durée de l’essai est fixée par écrit comme suit :
• 8 jours pour les travailleurs payés à l’heure ou
• 1 mois pour les travailleurs payés au mois ;
• 2 mois pour les agents de maîtrise, techniciens
et assimilés ;
• 3 mois pour les ingénieurs, cadres, techniciens
supérieurs et assimilés.
Art. 14.5 LC: "An employment contract, whether for a fixed term or an indefinite period, may include a trial period, the maximum total duration of which is fixed by decree."
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.
Africa N 8
Americas N 2
The trial period is not regulated by the legal system. However, it is often confused with the initial term of three months in the contracts for an indefinite period, in which it is possible to terminate the employment relationship without the employer having to pay the notice and severance pay, according to article 28 (a) of the Labour Code.
Americas N N
Article 32 of Labour Code: The trial period is the time in which the worker demonstrates possessing the suitability required for the performance of the position that the worker aspires to occupy and verifies that the conditions and characteristics of the workplace correspond to the worker´s interests and the employer guarantees the information, the means, the necessary conditions and determines the demonstrated suitability of the worker. During the same, either party may terminate the employment relationship. Compliance with the trial period is not required for those hired for a specified time or for the execution of a job or work, for the fulfillment of social service and by decision of the employer in other cases. The trial period is established between thirty and up to one hundred and eighty days; Its duration is determined in correspondence with the complexity of the position and is agreed in the Collective Labor Agreement. If after this, the parties do not express their will to the contrary, the employment relationship is formalized for an indefinite period. For seafarers, the trial period can be extended to the length of the first campaign or voyage
Americas N 6
Europe N 24
2019 Czechia
Africa N 12
Article 15 of Labour Code - Trial contract.
(1) In any contract of those referred to in the first paragraph of the article 14, when it is held for the first time, a trial time may be concluded, with a maximum duration of ninety days. Once this term has expired, it will automatically be understood to continue in effect for the time remaining to complete the 1 year. Such a contract may not be concluded but once between the same parties.
(2) During the trial period, either party can freely terminate it.
(3) The employer may not simultaneously maintain workers with a trial contract for a number that exceeds fifteen percent of the total of its workers. However, employers that start operations in the country, or existing ones that expand or diversify their industry, activity or business, will not be subject to the fifteen percent percentage during the six months after the start of operations, expansion or diversification of activity, industry or business. In the case of expansion or diversification, the exemption of the percentage will not be applied with respect to all the workers of the company but exclusively on the increase in the number of workers of the new commercial or industrial activities.
Europe N 8
2019 Gabon
Europe N 12
Article 81 of Labour Code provides that In all indefinite period contracts, the first two months are considered trial period, unless by mutual convenience the parties agree to a shorter period. During the trial period, either party may terminate the contract, of their own free will, with or without just cause, without incurring any liability.
The simulation of the trial period is prohibited, with the purpose of evading the recognition of the inalienable rights of the workers and those derived from the employment contract for an indefinite period. If one or more companies hire workers to provide their services to another company, the latter will be liable to the affected workers, in accordance with the law.
Article 49.- The trial period, which cannot exceed sixty (60) days, is the initial stage of the employment contract, and is intended by the employer to assess the skills of the worker, and by him , the convenience of working conditions. This period will be remunerated, and if at the end of either party expresses its will to terminate the contract, it will continue indefinitely.
Article 50.-The trial period must be stipulated in writing, and otherwise, the services are understood to be regulated by the general rules of the employment contract. In the employment contract of the domestic workers, the first fifteen (15) days of service is presumed as a trial period.
Article 52.-During the trial period, either party may terminate the contract, of their own free will, with or without just cause, without incurring any liability. Workers in trial period enjoy all benefits, with the exception of pre-notice and severance pay. If a new contract is concluded between the same contracting parties and for the same type of work before one (1) year has elapsed, this shall be understood for an indefinite time, without in this case the trial period taking place.
•Pursuant to sec. 45(5) LC, the trial period may not exceed 3 months from the date of commencement of the employment relationship. In the event that a shorter trial period has been stipulated, the parties may extend the trial period once. In either case, the duration of the trial period may not exceed three months. According to sec. 50(4) and 277(2) of the LC, a collective agreement may extend the term of the trial period, but it still may not exceed six months. Such an extension may be included in a works agreement as well provided that the employer is not covered by the collective agreement, or there is no trade union at the employer with entitlement to conclude a collective agreement (LC, sec. 268(1)).
Art. 60 MA.
However, fixed-term contracts cannot stipulate a probation period (art. 58 (1) MA).
Arab States N 3
2019 Kyrgyzstan
2019 Comoros
2019 Korea, Republic of
Art. 16 ED-LSA (Definition of Probationary Worker): "For the purposes of subparagraph 5 of Article 35 of the Act, the term “probationary worker” means a worker for whom less than three months have passed since the start of his/her probationary period."
2019 Lesotho
•Art. 75 LC
•Art. 8(3) of the Codes of Good Practice (not binding) provides that the probationary period should be of a reasonable length, usually three and sometimes up to four months, having regard to factors such as the nature of the job, the standards required, etc. The period may be extended by agreement.
Africa N 4
Art. L. 121-5 du Code du Travail:
(1) Sans préjudice des dispositions de l’article L. 122-8, alinéa 2, le contrat de travail conclu pour une durée indéterminée peut prévoir une clause d’essai. (...)
(2) La période d’essai convenue entre parties ne peut être inférieure à deux semaines, ni supérieure à six mois.
Par dérogation aux dispositions de l’alinéa qui précède, la période maximale d’essai ne peut excéder: trois mois pour le salarié dont le niveau de formation professionnelle n’atteint pas celui du certificat d’aptitude technique et professionnelle de l’enseignement secondaire technique; douze mois pour le salarié dont le salaire mensuel brut de début atteint un niveau déterminé par voie de règlement grand-ducal.
The duration of the probationary period is governed by Art. 14 LC as follows:
- Contract of indefinite duration:
* 3 months for executives and similar positions
* 1,5 months for white collars
* 15 days for blue collars
This trial period can be renewed once (i.e. the maximum is twice 3 months: 6 months)
- Fixed-term contract:
* Max. 2 weeks for contract concluded for less than 6 months
* Max. 1 month for contracts concluded for more than 6 months
2019 Malawi
•Article 39-A establishes that: In contracts for an undetermined period of time and those exceeding 180 days, a probationary period of no more than 30 days can be established, with the sole aim of verifying that the employee meets the requirements and knowledge demanded for the vacancy.
The probationary period set in the previous paragraph, can extend to 180 days, only for the recruitment of directing and managing posts, or other persons exercising directing or management functions in the enterprise or business, or to perform technical or specialized tasks. […]
This modality has to be agreed in writing, otherwise the employment relationship will be considered permanent (Art. 39-C).
There is an additional modality to the contract/employment relationship included in Art. 39-B for initial training. The maximum duration is of 3 months. For directing and management posts or specialized post this period could be extended up to 6 months. This modality has to be agreed in writing, otherwise the employment relationship will be considered permanent (Art. 39-C).
2019 Nicaragua
Article 28 of Labour Code provides that in indefinite term contracts, the parties may agree to a trial period of no more than thirty days during which any of them may terminate the employment relationship without any liability to them.
Americas N 1
Europe N 2
General rule: Probationary periods may last three months, at the end of which the worker gains the right of protection against unlawful dismissal (art. 10 LPCL).
Extension: The parties may agree to extend the probationary period where the work to be undertaken requires a period of training and adaptation or where the nature of the work or responsibility entailing such extension may be justified (art. 10 LPCL).
Extension of the probationary period must be established in writing and may not exceed:
- six months in total in the case of skilled workers and persons in positions of trust,
- one year for managerial personnel.
Americas N 12
- It is extended to 180 days for employees who hold positions of a complex technical nature, with high degree of responsibility, or which require special qualifications, as well employees in a position of trust. The reform of 2019 also included first-time jobseekers and long-term unemployed workers in this list.
The probationary period can be excluded or reduced by written agreement of the parties. It can also be excluded or reduced according the duration of the previous FTC for the same activity, previous temporary contract for the same position, outsourcing for the same final object, internship or traineeship, for the same employer (art. 112°, 4, LC). It can be reduced by collective agreement (but not excluded) (art. 111(3) and 112(5) LC)
During the probationary period, either party may unilaterally terminate the contract, without prior notice of need to invoke just cause, except in cases in which the contract has lasted more than 60 days, in which case the employer must give a prior notice of 7 days, and more than 120 days, in which case the employer must give a prior notice of at least 15 days (Art 114°, 2 and 3, LC). In case of failure to comply with previous notice, a compensation is due according to the missing time. (art. 114, LC)
According to articles 58 of Labour Code, it is possible to establish a trial period that will be aimed at the employer, assessing the skills of the worker and, on the part of the latter, verifying the appropriateness of the conditions of the contracted work. This period will have a maximum of the following duration: a) Thirty days for domestic service personnel and unskilled workers; b) Sixty days, for qualified workers or apprentices; and, c) In the case of highly specialized technical workers, the parties may agree on a different period from the previous one, according to the modalities of the contracted work.
In addition, according to article 59 of same Code, if at the end of that, none of the contractors express their express wish to terminate the employment contract, it will continue in force in the agreed form, the trial period must be computed for all legal purposes. In the event of a new contract between the same contractors and for the same type of work, there will be no trial period.
•Art. 13 LL provides that the probation period cannot exceed 3 months. However, after the written evaluation of the employee’s performance notified to the employee, the employer can for valid reasons related to the nature of work, employee’s performance and conduct, decides that an employee retakes the probation for a period not exceeding three (3) months.
Maximum 6 months including renewal: art. L38 LC.
Art. 11 of the Inter-occupational collective agreement foresees specific trial periods according to the worker's category, as follows:
* 1 month for monthly paid workers, supervisors, technicians and similar workers;
* 3 months for engineers, managers;
* 8 days for workers paid on a hourly or daily basis.
The trial period can be renewed once.
Art. 28 LC: maximum 30 days. Within this period either party can terminate the contract without cause.
Once this time is exceeded, the employment contract will be considered open-end, unless the parties have a fixed term of termination according to the cases provided by law. A new probationary period cannot be stipulated, if a new contract between the same contracting parties and the same work is concluded before one year has elapsed.
2019 Tajikistan
Art. 28(1) LC.
2019 Turkmenistan
Art. 18 LC provides that in every contract of employment, the duration of the probationary period is governed by collective or individual agreement, by custom or by the law.
The LC does not set out any maximum or minimum duration for the probationary period.
However, the duration of the probationary period is regulated by the Collective Framework Agreement (as amended). Art. 10 of the CFA stipulates that such trial period shall be:
- 6 months for workers ("agents d'exécution")
- 9 months for first line supervisors ("agents de maîtrise")
- 1 year for executives.
[2 years = probationary period for executives (1 year) renewed once]
Art. 18 du Code du travail (LC) prévoit que dans tout contrat de travail, la durée de la période d'essai résulte des conventions collectives ou particulières, de l'usage ou de la loi. Le Code du travail ne fixe pas de durée maximale ou minimale pour la période d'essai.
Toutefois, la durée de la période probatoire est régie par la Convention collective dont l'article 10 dispose que la période d'essai est fixée comme suit :
- pour les agents d'exécution: six mois.
- pour les agents de maîtrise : neuf mois.
- pour les cadres : une année.
(La durée de 2 ans indiquée ci-dessus correspond à la période probatoire pour les cadres supérieurs (1 an) renouvelée une fois)
Africa N 24
2019 Tanzania, United Republic of
Art. 27 LC provides for the probationary period which can not be longer than 3 months. However it can be prolonged for 3 months more in some special cases and in consultation with appropriate representative body. In case that the employee was absent from work because of the temporary disability or other valid reasons, probation period may be extended for the number of days the employee has been absent. (Art. 27 LC)
Art. 67(2) EA: max. 6 months, which may however be extended for a further period of not more than 6 months with the agreement of the employee.
There is no legal regulation of the probationary period, however, trial period is largely accepted and used by employers. Jurisprudence has admitted that dismissals within 90 days do not generate compensation to the worker subject to the trial period.
According to article 7 of Law on Youth Employment, in the employment relationship of young workers, a trial period may be foreseen for a period of up to thirty calendar days for contracts of six to eleven months duration and up to sixty days for contracts of twelve to eighteen months duration.
2019 Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of
2018 Antigua and Barbuda
Sec. C8 LC: The probation period may not exceed 3 months, unless there is provision for a greater period in a collective agreement.
During his probation period, an employee's employment may be terminated without any reason.
2018 Botswana
Sec. 68 LC: the probationary period cannot exceed three months for regular employees, two months for specialized workers and one month for non specialized workers.
Europe N 4
Africa N 3
Section 130 Labour Act: (1) Subject to subsection (2), a new employee may be required to serve a probationary period of not more than twelve weeks or a shorter or longer period of time agreed to between the employer and the employee.
2017 Moldova, Republic of
Section 23.2.3. LC was amended by Law of 21 April 2017
Arab States N 6
Europe N 1
Africa N 1.5
2013 Syrian Arab Republic
2013 Yemen
Art. 28 LC.
2011 Viet Nam
Art. 7, Decree 2003: The employer and the employee may agree on a probationary period not exceeding 60 days in respect of highly specialized technical work, 30 days in respect of work that requires a secondary skill level, and 6 days in respect of other work.
Asia N 2
2010 Iran, Islamic Republic of
See sec. 11 LC, Note 1: "The probationary period shall be specified in the employment contract. The maximum duration of probation shall be one month for unskilled and semi­skilled workers and three months for skilled and specialised workers".