Official Gazette No. 18, continued on May 3, 2025
Law No. 14 of 2025 issuing the Labor Law
In the name of the people
president
The House of Representatives decided on the following law, and we have issued it:
(Article one)
The provisions of this law and the accompanying law regarding labor shall apply.
Their provisions also apply to matters not specifically provided for in individual employment contracts or collective employment agreements for foreign workers within the Arab Republic of Egypt.
Except for what is specifically provided for, the provisions of this law and the accompanying law shall not apply to the following categories:
1- Employees of state agencies, including local administration units and public bodies.
2- Domestic workers and those in similar positions.
(Article Two)
The Training and Rehabilitation Fund established in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Law promulgated by Law No. 12 of 2003 shall continue to maintain its public legal personality, shall be subordinate to the Minister concerned with labor affairs, and shall exercise its powers in the manner regulated by the attached law.
The dispute shall expire in all cases that have not been decided by a final judgment, and that are registered or being considered by all courts of various degrees before the implementation of the provisions of this law, between the Training and Rehabilitation Fund and the establishments subject to the provisions of the attached law, and the subject of which is the collection of a percentage (1%) for the benefit of the fund, and the claim for what has not been paid from this percentage shall be prohibited, all of this unless the establishment insists on continuing the dispute in the case by a request submitted to the court that is considering the case within six months from the date of implementation of this law.
In all cases, the expiry of the dispute does not entitle the establishments that paid this percentage to recover what was previously paid.
(Article three)
The Social, Health and Cultural Services Fund established in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned Labor Law shall continue to operate and shall be subordinate to the Minister concerned with labor affairs, and shall exercise its powers in the manner regulated by law.
The National Wages Council shall also continue, be formed and exercise its powers as specified in the attached law.
(Article Four)
The provisions of this law and the law and its annexes shall not prejudice the rights of workers previously obtained from wages and benefits derived from the provisions of laws, regulations, systems, agreements and internal decisions prior to the implementation of its provisions.
The provisions contained in the legislation pertaining to some categories of workers shall remain in effect until collective agreements are concluded and implemented in accordance with the provisions of the attached law.
The benefits included in these legislations are considered the minimum on which negotiations are conducted.
(Article Five)
The provisions of this law and the accompanying law shall not prejudice the provisions of the Law Facilitating Procedures for Granting Licensing for Industrial Facilities issued by Law No. 15 of 2017.
(Article Six)
Business owners may employ workers without being bound by the condition of obtaining a license to practice the profession or trade stipulated in Article (27) of the attached law, provided that they regularize their situations within a period not exceeding three years from the date of issuance of the decisions regulating the rules and procedures for obtaining the aforementioned license.
As an exception to this, the Prime Minister may, upon the proposal of the Minister concerned with labor affairs, extend the period for regularizing the situation for one or more similar periods not exceeding three years in total.
In all cases, workers who have been employed by the employer for more than one year prior to the issuance of the attached law are exempt from obtaining this license.
The entities addressed by the provisions of Articles (22 and 41) of the attached law are also obligated to adjust their situations in accordance with its provisions, within a period not exceeding one year from the date of its entry into force. The Prime Minister may extend this period for another period or periods not exceeding two years in total, based on a proposal from the Minister concerned with labor affairs.
(Article Seven)
All cash and in-kind funds, rights, obligations, and resources of the social and health care accounts for irregular workers established by the Ministry of Labor and its directorates in the governorates shall be transferred to the Emergency Aid and Social and Health Services Fund for Irregular Workers established in accordance with the provisions of the attached law.
(Article Eight)
Establishments subject to the provisions of this law and the accompanying law are obligated to send to the ministry concerned with labor affairs, within thirty days from the date of its entry into force, a detailed statement of the number of workers according to their qualifications, professions, age groups, nationalities, gender, and the wages they receive.
(Article Nine)
Subject to the provisions of Article Thirteen of this Law, the courts shall, of their own accord, refer any disputes and pending lawsuits that have become, pursuant to the provisions of the attached law, within the jurisdiction of the specialized labor courts, in the condition in which they are, without fees. In the event of the absence of one of the parties, the clerk shall be obligated to notify him of the referral decision and to instruct him to appear on time before the court to which the lawsuit is referred.
The provisions of the first paragraph of this Article shall not apply to lawsuits that have been adjudicated or that have been reserved for judgment before the provisions of this Law come into effect. The courts shall continue to consider them, and the judgments issued therein shall remain subject to the rules regulating the methods of appeal in effect on the date of their issuance.
(Article 10)
The Court of Cassation and the Courts of Appeal shall continue to consider appeals against judgments issued in disputes and lawsuits referred to in Article Nine of this Law, which were brought before them before the date of the implementation of the Specialized Labor Courts System in accordance with Article Thirteen of this Law.
(Article Eleven)
The Minister concerned with labor affairs shall issue the decisions implementing the provisions of this law and the accompanying law within a period not exceeding ninety days from the date of its entry into force. Until these decisions are issued, the decisions in force in this regard shall continue to be in effect, provided that they do not conflict with the provisions of this law and the accompanying law.
The Minister of Justice shall also issue the necessary decisions to implement the provisions of the attached law with regard to specialized labor courts.
(Article Twelve)
Law No. 12 of 2003 issuing the Labor Law and Law No. 125 of 2010 regarding the priority status of workers’ rights shall be repealed. Any provision that contradicts the provisions of this law and the accompanying law shall also be repealed.
(Article Thirteen)
This law shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall be effective from the first of the month following the expiry of ninety days from the date of its publication. It shall be effective with regard to specialized labor courts as of the first of October following the entry into force of the attached law.
This law shall be stamped with the seal of the state and implemented as one of its laws.
Issued by the Presidency of the Republic on the 5th of Dhul-Qi'dah 1446 AH
(Corresponding to May 3, 2025 AD).
Abdel Fattah el-Sisi
Labor Law
The First Book
Definitions and General Provisions
Chapter One Definitions
Article (1): In applying the provisions of this law, the following words and terms shall have the meanings indicated next to each of them:
1- Worker: Every natural person who works for a wage for an employer under his management or supervision.
2- Apprentice: Anyone who joins an employer with the intention of learning a profession, trade or craft in exchange for a wage.
3- Employer: Any natural or legal person who employs one or more workers in return for wages.
4- Wage: Everything that the worker receives in exchange for his work, whether in cash or in kind, and includes the following:
Basic wage: The wage stipulated in the employment contract, and any additional bonuses.
Variable wage: the remaining elements of the wage that the worker receives, especially:
(a) Commission or percentage: an amount of money paid to a worker in exchange for what he produces, sells, or collects while he is performing the work for which this percentage is assigned.
(b) Bonuses: a sum of money or a percentage of the basic wage granted to the worker to address economic, social or technical circumstances, unless they are included in the basic wage.
(c) Grants: What is given to the worker in addition to his wage, provided that it is stipulated in individual or collective employment contracts, basic work regulations, or what is customary to grant.
(d) Reward: Anything paid to the worker, whether in cash or in kind, in return for proficiency, distinction, or efficiency in performing the work assigned to him.
(e) Allowances: What is given to the worker in exchange for certain conditions or risks to which he is exposed in performing his work.
(d) The worker’s share of profits: what is paid to the worker from the net profits achieved in accordance with the laws regulating them.
(z) Gift: The consideration that the worker receives from someone other than the employer if it is customary to pay it, and it has rules that allow it to be determined in accordance with the establishment’s regulations or prevailing custom.
(h) Service fee: The cash fee that customers may pay in tourist and hotel facilities, and other facilities. A decision shall be issued by the competent minister in agreement with the relevant ministers, the relevant trade union organization, and employers’ organizations regarding how to distribute it to workers.
(d) In-kind benefits: Non-cash benefits that the employer is obligated to provide that are not required by the requirements of the job.
5- Insurance wage: The subscription wage stipulated in the Social Insurance and Pensions Law issued by Law No. 148 of 2019.
6- Temporary work: work that is by its nature part of the business carried out by the employer and the nature of its completion requires a specific period, or is focused on a specific job and ends with its completion.
7- Casual work: work that is not, by its nature, part of the business carried out by the employer and does not take more than six months to complete.
8- Seasonal work: work that takes place during known recurring seasons.
9- Irregular worker: anyone who performs work that is not permanent in nature in exchange for wages of any kind, or works in a profession or trade that is not regulated by a special law, such as street vendors, newspaper distributors, and others.
10- Informal sector worker: anyone who performs work inside or outside the facility in an informal or hidden manner.
11 - Forced labor: Any work or service imposed by force on any person under threat of punishment or harm, and which this person did not volunteer to perform of his own free will.
12- Night: the period between sunset and sunrise.
13- Vocational guidance: Assisting the individual in choosing the profession or career path that best suits his abilities, aptitude, and inclinations, in light of ongoing studies of the labor market, the required professions, and their requirements.
14- Training: A process that enables an individual to acquire and develop the knowledge, technical skills, and professional behaviors necessary to prepare him for appropriate work.
15- Apprenticeship: A form of learning or skill development within or outside of work, which enables an individual to acquire the skills, knowledge and competencies necessary to work in a profession, trade or craft through structured training in exchange for pay.
16- Sector Skills Councils: Sectoral entities that enhance cooperation between the government and the private sector. They are established to ensure that the technical and vocational education and training system meets the economic sector’s needs for skilled technical workers.
17- Private employment agencies: companies specialized in selecting workers or employing them for others under the conditions required by this law.
18- Authorized agents: any person appointed or authorized by the employer to manage the facility, or those occupying senior key positions therein who exercise some or all of the employer’s powers.
19- Collective bargaining: The dialogue that takes place between an employer or one or more employers’ organizations on one side, and a labor union organization, or more on the other side, with the aim of reaching an agreement to achieve the interests of both parties.
20- Collective dispute: Any dispute that arises between an employer, a group of employers or their organizations, and all of the facility’s workers, or a group of them, or their relevant trade union organizations, regarding the terms, conditions, or employment of work.
21- Social partners: parties to the production process (government, employers’ organizations, and labor union organizations).
22- Labor Commissioner: One of the employees of the establishment whom the employees agree to authorize, by means of an official document, to represent them before the employer in the event that there is no labor union organization there.
23- Collective labor agreement: A written agreement regulating the terms and conditions of work and the provisions of employment, concluded between one or more trade union organizations and an employer, a group of employers, or one or more of their organizations.
24- Conciliation: A method resorted to by one of the parties to a collective labor dispute, requesting the intervention of the competent administrative authority after collective negotiations between them have stalled.
25- Mediation: An amicable means of resolving collective labor disputes, whereby the two parties to the dispute agree to assign the task of proposing a settlement to a neutral third person called the “dispute mediator,” whom they jointly select from the list prepared for this purpose.
26- Arbitration: An agreed-upon means of ending a collective dispute after the failure of amicable settlement methods. It is carried out by one or more arbitrators chosen from the list prepared for this purpose.
27- Arbitration clause: A written agreement between the two parties to the employment relationship to settle any dispute that may arise between them regarding this relationship through arbitration.
28- Arbitration agreement: a written agreement between the two parties to the employment relationship after the dispute arises.
29- Strike: An agreement by all or a group of workers to stop performing their work at the workplace to demand what they see as achieving their professional, economic and social interests, after an amicable settlement has been impossible, within the limits of the controls and procedures established by law.
30- Work-related injuries and chronic diseases: Definitions contained in the Social Insurance and Pensions Law issued by Law No. 148 of 2019.
31- Harassment: Any act or behavior in the workplace or on its occasion that constitutes an assault on others by making sexual or pornographic gestures, insinuations, or hints, whether by gesture, word, or action, by any means, including wired, wireless, or electronic communications, or any other technical means.
32- Bullying: Any act or behavior in the workplace or on its occasion, whether verbally, by displaying force or control over others, or by exploiting their weakness or a condition that the perpetrator of such act or behavior believes is offensive to others, such as gender, race, religion, physical description, health or mental condition, or social level, with the intent to intimidate them, ridicule them, degrade them, or exclude them from their social environment, by any means, including wired, wireless, electronic, or any other technical means.
33- Facility: Every project or facility owned or managed by a private law person, regardless of its type or affiliation, taking into account the provisions of Article (243) of this Law.
34- Work site: is the place where the worker performs the assigned work, or is likely to be present there because of it.
35- Profession or trade: Any work that requires special skill or specific experience to perform, and the practice of which is not regulated by a special law.
36- The competent minister: the minister concerned with labor affairs.
37- The competent ministry: The ministry concerned with labor affairs.
38- The competent administrative authority: The ministry concerned with labor affairs and its directorates and departments affiliated with it at the level of the Republic.
Article 2: In applying the provisions of this law, a year shall be considered to be 365 days, and a month shall be considered to be thirty days, unless otherwise agreed upon.
Chapter Two: General Provisions
Article 3: This law is considered the general law governing labor relations.
Article 4: It is prohibited to employ a worker under forced or compulsory labor. It is also prohibited to harass, bully, or practice any verbal, physical, or psychological violence against a worker. The work and penalties regulations in the facility shall specify the disciplinary penalties prescribed for it.
Article (5): Any act, behavior, or procedure that would cause discrimination or differentiation between people in training, advertising or filling jobs, or the terms and conditions of work or the rights and duties arising from the employment contract, on the basis of religion, belief, gender, origin, race, color, language, disability, social level, political, union, or geographic affiliation, or any other reason that would result in a violation of the principle of equality and equal opportunities, is prohibited.
Any advantage, preference, benefit or protection granted under the provisions of this law and its implementing decisions and regulations for women, children, persons with disabilities and dwarves shall not be considered prohibited discrimination, provided that it is granted to the extent necessary to achieve the objective for which it was granted. The competent ministry shall work to develop the necessary policies and plans to integrate them into the labor market and provide them with the necessary protection in the work environment, in coordination with the ministry responsible for social solidarity and the relevant specialized national councils.
Article 6: Any condition or agreement that violates the provisions of this law shall be null and void, even if it was made prior to its implementation, if it includes a reduction of the worker’s rights stipulated therein, or a waiver of the worker’s rights arising from the employment contract during its validity period, or within three months of its expiration date.
Any better benefits or conditions stipulated or decided upon in individual or collective employment contracts, bylaws, other establishment regulations, or by custom shall continue to apply.
This also applies in the event of a change in the legal entity of the establishment or a transfer of its ownership.
Article 7: Lawsuits arising from disputes related to the provisions of this law, filed by workers, trainees, apprenticeship workers, or their beneficiaries, are exempt from court fees and expenses at all stages of litigation. In all cases, the court may include in its ruling immediate enforcement without bail, and in the event of the lawsuit being rejected, it may order the plaintiff to pay all or some of the expenses.
The categories referred to in the first paragraph of this article are exempt from stamp duty on all certificates and photos given to them, and complaints and requests submitted by them, in application of the provisions of this law.
Taking into account the provisions of Article (185) of this law, it is not required for these categories that a lawyer sign the lawsuit opening statement, the substantive requests statement, or the requests to issue orders.
Article 8: The amounts due to the worker, or those entitled to them, arising from an employment relationship shall have a privilege over all of the debtor’s movable and immovable property. These amounts shall be collected before judicial expenses, amounts due to the public treasury, preservation and restoration expenses, and any privileged rank established or decided in accordance with any other law.
Social insurance contributions are considered part of workers’ rights that are collected and paid to the competent authority.
Article 9: The dissolution, liquidation, closure, or bankruptcy of the establishment shall not prevent the fulfillment of all obligations arising under this law. The decision or judgment issued in any of these matters must specify a deadline for fulfilling the rights of workers. The competent administrative authority shall follow up on the fulfillment of these rights, and it may represent the concerned parties in taking the necessary measures to fulfill them within the specified deadline.
The competent minister shall issue a decision specifying the controls, procedures and deadlines for fulfilling workers’ rights.
Article 10: If there are multiple employers, they shall be jointly liable for fulfilling all obligations arising from this law, the approved facility regulations, or collective labor agreements. The authorized agent or the person to whom the employer has assigned all or some of the work assigned to him shall be jointly liable with him for fulfilling all obligations imposed by the provisions of this law.
Article 11: The merger, division, or transfer of the establishment by inheritance, will, gift, sale, even by public auction, assignment, lease, or other dispositions shall not result in the termination of the employment contracts of the establishment’s workers, and the successor shall be jointly responsible with the previous employers for the implementation of all obligations arising from these contracts.
Article 12: Workers subject to the provisions of this law are entitled to a periodic annual bonus on the date of entitlement of no less than (3%) of the insurance wage. This bonus is due after one year from the date of appointment, or from the date of entitlement of the previous periodic bonus.
In the event that the facility is exposed to economic circumstances that make it impossible to pay the aforementioned periodic bonus, the matter shall be referred to the National Wages Council to decide whether to reduce or exempt it within thirty days from the date the matter is referred to it.
Article 13: The competent minister shall issue a decision specifying the jurisdiction of the competent administrative body to implement the provisions of this law.
Article 14: One-third of the amounts awarded for violating the provisions of this law shall be allocated to the competent ministry to be spent on social, health and cultural services, and developing vocational training methods for the most vulnerable groups among the workers subject to the provisions of this law, especially irregular workers. The distribution and expenditure shall be determined by a decision of the competent minister, provided that the remainder of the proceeds shall be allocated to the state’s general treasury.
Article 15: The collection of fees and charges for services stipulated in this law shall be in accordance with the provisions of the Law Regulating the Use of Non-Cash Payment Methods issued by Law No. 18 of 2019.
Book Two: Training, Employment, and Employment of Informal Labor
Chapter One: Training
Article 16: The provisions of this chapter shall apply to all training centers subject to the provisions of this law, and to the following categories:
1- Those who wish to train.
2- People with disabilities, dwarfs, and other priority groups.
3- Trainees.
4- Those who wish to obtain higher or continuing qualification.
5- Industrial apprenticeship workers.
Article 17: The competent administrative authority shall undertake the vocational guidance of those wishing to train, to assist them in choosing the professions they wish to train in, according to their abilities.
It also coordinates with relevant ministries and authorities, and in consultation with representatives of the most representative employers' and workers' organizations, to prepare the national occupational classification of professions, trades, and jobs in the labor market, determines their requirements and descriptions, and the necessary skills and competencies, and works to update them in accordance with international quality standards, and in line with modern technological changes and climate change. The competent minister issues a decision on the rules and procedures regulating this, and the beneficiary entities and categories.
Article 18: A council called the “Supreme Council for Human Resources Skills Development” shall be established, with its headquarters in Cairo, headed by the relevant minister, and its membership shall include the following: Representatives of the Ministries of (Health, Planning and Economic Development and International Cooperation, Education and Technical Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research, Industry, Investment and Foreign Trade, Communications and Information Technology, Social Solidarity, Public Business Sector, Local Development, Housing, Utilities and Urban Communities, Tourism and Antiquities), nominated by the relevant ministers.
The head of the Central Agency for Organization and Administration or his representative.
The Chairman of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities or his representative.
Seven members representing the most representative employer organizations in terms of membership, nominated by their organizations.
Seven members representing trade union organizations, nominated by their most representative workers' organizations.
When nominating a candidate, consideration must be given to representing all levels of trade union organizations unless this is impossible. The Council may seek the assistance of any experienced individuals from the groups it deems necessary to represent, without them having a vote in the deliberations.
The Council is responsible for setting general policies for developing human resources skills, training and rehabilitation policies, and training and rehabilitation policies for persons with disabilities, dwarfs, and groups most in need of care, in accordance with the state’s general policy.
It also undertakes to develop the necessary plans to link education and training with the needs of the current labor market, future jobs, and the skills required for them. The formation of the Council, its other powers, its work system, and its executive secretariat shall be determined by a decision issued by the Prime Minister no later than six months from the date this law comes into effect. The Council shall meet at least once every three months.
Article 19: The Council may form, within the scope of any governorate or geographical area, an executive council for the development of human resources skills. The Council shall determine, by a decision, the chairman and members of the executive council, provided that its membership includes representatives of employers’ organizations and the relevant labor union organizations equally between them. It shall also include representatives of the relevant ministries and authorities. It shall be responsible for following up on the implementation of plans, decisions, and recommendations issued by the Supreme Council for the Development of Human Resources Skills and coordinating with the local authorities concerned with the development of human resources skills and improving their efficiency through vocational and continuous training.
The formation decision shall determine the other powers of the Council and its working system.
Article 20: The Training and Rehabilitation Financing Fund shall carry out its activities at the national level in accordance with the needs of the labor market and in line with the needs of sectoral employers’ organizations established by law. It shall be concerned with providing the following services:
1- Financing human resources skills development and vocational and technical training operations through establishing and developing training centers, preparing and implementing training programs, and necessary skills and competencies guides.
2- Financing development projects that target developing human resource skills, linking education and training outcomes to current and future labor market needs, and coordinating with sectoral skills councils.
3- Setting the terms and executive rules to control financing operations.
4 - Follow up and evaluate the implementation of all works funded by it.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision to form the Fund’s Board of Directors, headed by the competent minister, with membership of representatives of trade union organizations and employers’ organizations equally divided between them, and representatives of the ministries and competent authorities, and to determine its other powers and its work system, and the financial treatment of the Chairman and members of the Board of Directors, provided that it is from its own resources, its branches in the governorates, its bylaws, its system for collecting its resources, and the accounting system to be followed.
The Fund’s Board of Directors may use private law means to achieve its objectives and exercise its powers.
Article 21: The resources of the fund referred to in Article 20 of this law shall consist of:
1- A percentage of 0.25% (a quarter of a percent) of the minimum insurance wage in establishments in the public sector, the public business sector, and the private sector, in which thirty or more workers work, with a minimum of ten pounds and a maximum of thirty pounds for each worker, which the establishment shall bear and be obligated to pay annually in exchange for the services stipulated in Article (20) of this law.
The rules and conditions for full exemption from the aforementioned percentage shall be determined by a decision of the competent minister, in the event that these establishments train their workers in accordance with their requirements or the regulations approved by these establishments.
2- Grants, donations and gifts accepted by the Fund’s Board of Directors in accordance with the rules specified in the Articles of Association, in accordance with the laws in force in this regard.
3- Return on investment of the fund’s money.
The Fund shall have a special account with one of the commercial banks accredited by the Central Bank. The Fund shall prepare annual statements indicating its financial position. Its funds shall be subject to the oversight of the Central Auditing Organization, and its surplus funds shall be carried over from one year to the next.
Article 22: No entity may engage in training operations unless it takes the form of a joint-stock company, a limited liability company, or a sole proprietorship.
The following are exempted from the provisions of the first paragraph of this article:
1 - Employers’ organizations, labor union organizations, and civil associations and institutions established in accordance with the law regulating them, which carry out training operations.
2- Training bodies established by units of the state’s administrative apparatus, public bodies, and local administration units to train their employees and employees of related entities.
3- Establishments that train their workers.
4- Entities that engage in rehabilitation and training of persons with disabilities, dwarfs, and other priority groups.
Article 23: To carry out training operations, a license must be obtained from the competent ministry, with the exception of the entities stipulated in Clauses (2, 3) of Article (22) of this law.
The competent minister shall issue a decision specifying the conditions and procedures for granting the license, its duration, renewal, cases of cancellation, fees not exceeding one hundred thousand pounds, and cases of exemption therefrom. The decision shall also specify the rules and procedures for establishing and accrediting training centers subject to the provisions of this law.
The competent ministry is obligated to maintain a paper or electronic record of the entities licensed to conduct training operations, and to notify the Supreme Council for Human Resources and Skills Development of what is recorded in this record.
Article 24: The entities referred to in Article 22 of this law, with the exception of Clauses 2 and 3, are obligated to notify the competent ministry of the training programs they offer for approval, provided that they include the following: The conditions that must be met by trainees to join the programs.
The adequacy of training processes in terms of topics, training fields, and the number of hours allocated to them.
Levels and specializations of trainers.
The level of skill that the trainee acquires after completing the program.
The competent minister shall issue a decision specifying the procedures and dates for notification and accreditation after coordination with the Egyptian Authority for Quality Assurance and Accreditation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (Etqan), established by Law No. 160 of 2022.
Article 25: Trainers who practice training work must obtain a license to do so from the competent ministry, based on their request or the request of one of the entities referred to in Article 22 of this law.
The competent minister shall issue a decision specifying the conditions, rules, and procedures for granting the license, the fees due for it not exceeding five thousand pounds, and the cases in which it may be suspended or cancelled.
Provided that trainers affiliated with the entities stipulated in Clauses (2, 3) of Article (22) of this Law are exempted from this, if their work is limited to training within these entities and not others.
The competent ministry is obligated to prepare a paper or electronic record to register licensed trainers, and to note in it the suspension or cancellation of the license.
Article 26: The entity that carries out training operations is obligated to grant the trainee a certificate stating that he has passed the training program that it held for him, and the level he has reached. The other data that is recorded in this certificate and the rules for its approval by the competent administrative authority, and the corresponding fee for that shall not exceed five hundred pounds, shall be determined by a decision from the competent minister.
Article 27: Anyone who wishes to practice a profession or trade specified by a decision issued by the competent minister must submit an application to the competent administrative authority to obtain a license to practice it.
The decision specifies the terms, rules, and procedures for granting the license, the fees imposed for it, which shall not exceed five hundred pounds, and the cases of exemption therefrom.
The worker may not be employed unless he has obtained this license.
The license applicant must attach to his application a certificate indicating his skill level, and the competent minister, in consultation with the relevant trade union organization and the relevant employers’ organization, shall issue a decision specifying all the data that must be proven in that certificate, the provisions for measuring the skill level and the bodies responsible for determining this level, how it is conducted, the conditions for applying for it, the place where it is conducted for each craft or profession and the skill levels that are estimated according to the results of the tests, the prescribed fee for it not to exceed five hundred pounds and the cases of exemption from this fee.
Graduates of intermediate and post-intermediate technical schools, higher institutes, and universities who work in their field of specialization are exempt from obtaining this certificate.
Article 28: The trainee must be at least fourteen years old, and the competent minister shall issue a decision regarding the rules and procedures regulating professional training with the employer.
Article 29: The apprenticeship agreement must be written, and it must specify in particular the duration of learning the profession, trade or craft, its successive stages and the reward that the apprentice receives in each stage in an ascending manner, provided that it is not less in the final stage than the minimum wage specified for the category of workers in the profession, trade or craft in which he is being apprenticed.
Article 30: The employer may terminate the apprenticeship agreement if he determines that the apprentice is not qualified or prepared to learn the profession, trade, or craft in a good manner. The apprentice may also terminate the agreement.
The party wishing to terminate the agreement must notify the other party of this at least three days prior to termination.
Article 31: Without prejudice to the provisions of Chapter Four of Part Two of this book, the provisions relating to vacations, working hours, and rest periods stipulated in this law shall apply to trainees.
Chapter Two Operation
(Chapter One) Operating Policies
Article 32: A council called the “Supreme Council for Planning and Employment of the Workforce at Home and Abroad” shall be established, headed by the competent minister, and shall include representatives of the relevant ministries and authorities, and an equal number of representatives of each of the most representative employers’ organizations concerned, nominated by their organizations and representatives of the relevant labor union organizations, provided that representation of all levels of labor union organizations is taken into account unless this is impossible.
The Council shall formulate the general policy for the employment of workers at home and abroad, and establish the systems, rules, and procedures necessary for this employment based on the needs of the labor markets at home and abroad, and prepare for future jobs in accordance with the general policy of the State. The formation of the Council, its powers, and its work system shall be issued by a decision from the Prime Minister within a maximum period of six months from the date this law comes into effect.
Article 33: Without prejudice to the provisions of the Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities issued by Law No. 10 of 2018, every person capable of working and wishing to work must submit an application to register his name with the competent administrative authority, stating his age, profession, qualifications and previous experience. This authority must record these applications in paper or electronic records and give the applicant a certificate indicating registration without charge. The data that must be included in the aforementioned certificate shall be determined by a decision of the competent minister.
A worker may not be employed unless he holds the certificate referred to in the first paragraph of this Article. As an exception, the employer may appoint those who do not hold this certificate, provided that the worker's name is registered with the competent administrative authority within thirty days from the date of assuming work. The employer may meet his functional, professional and craft needs for jobs and businesses that have become vacant or have been created by those nominated by the competent administrative authority within whose jurisdiction his workplace is located, from among those registered with it, taking into account the priority of registration.
Article 34: If the person wishing to work practices a craft or profession that is determined by a decision issued by the competent minister in accordance with the text of Article 27 of this law, he must attach to the registration application a certificate measuring his skill level and a license to practice it.
Article 35: Without prejudice to the provisions of the aforementioned Law on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, establishments existing at the time of application of this law, and those established in the future, are obligated to return to the competent administrative authority the worker’s registration certificate issued by them within forty-five days from the date of receiving work after completing the data recorded therein, and they must record the registration certificate number and its date in front of the worker’s name in the establishment’s workers’ registration register.
Article 36: Establishments subject to the provisions of this law are obligated to send to the competent administrative authority, within thirty days from the date of commencement of work in the establishment, a detailed statement of the number of workers according to their qualifications, professions, age groups, nationalities, gender, and the wages they receive. These establishments must send to that authority during the month of January of each year the following data:
1- Any amendments to the data contained in the first paragraph of this article.
2- The number of vacant positions due to replacement or new expansions, and the positions that were cancelled.
3- A statement estimating the expected needs based on educational and professional status during the following year. All of this should be done in accordance with the forms prepared by the relevant ministry.
The competent administrative authority shall provide the National Social Insurance Authority with a copy of the data referred to in the second paragraph of this article.
Article 37: The establishments referred to in Article 35 of this law are obligated to keep a paper or electronic record to record the names of persons with disabilities and dwarves who have obtained rehabilitation certificates or disability and integrated services proof cards, as the case may be, who have been assigned to work with them, including the data contained in the rehabilitation certificates or disability and integrated services proof cards, as the case may be, and this record must be submitted to the competent administrative authority whenever it is requested to do so.
The entity must be notified with a statement including the total number of workers, the number of positions occupied by persons with disabilities and dwarves, and the wage received by each of them, in accordance with the form and date specified by a decision issued by the competent minister.
Article 38: All establishments subject to the provisions of this law are obligated to provide the competent ministry, in paper or electronic form, with the data or information necessary to establish or update labor databases and the labor market information system within thirty days from the date of the request.
Business owners or their representatives must also exercise due diligence to cooperate with the competent administrative authority to complete data or information collection forms, whether in paper or electronic form.
The competent ministry shall collect the necessary data on the labor market and conduct field studies and research, either alone or in coordination with the competent authorities. It shall also issue periodic sectoral or geographical reports on the current and future needs of the labor market in terms of professions and skills, and monitor any changes that occur therein.
(Chapter Two) Operation at home and abroad
Article 39: The following are exempt from the application of the provisions of this chapter:
1- Casual work and the like.
2- Main positions whose occupants are considered authorized agents of the employer.
The competent minister may issue a decision to apply the provisions of this chapter to all or some of the jobs, positions and categories referred to in Clauses (1 and 2) of this Article.
Article 40: Without prejudice to international agreements related to employment, the process of recruiting Egyptians to work inside or outside the country shall be carried out through the competent ministry or the following entities:
1- Ministries and public bodies with regard to their employees.
2 - Egyptian public sector, public business sector and private sector companies for their employees in the contracts they conclude with foreign entities within the limits of their work and the nature of their activity.
3- Private employment agencies that take the form of a joint-stock company, a limited liability company, or a sole proprietorship licensed by the competent ministry.
Article 41: Without prejudice to the conditions required by the Law of Joint Stock Companies, Limited Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies and One-Person Companies issued by Law No. 159 of 1981, in order to obtain the license referred to in Clause (3) of Article (40) of this Law, the conditions stipulated for that must be met, and in particular:
1- The founders, members of the board of directors, and managers responsible for operations must not have been previously convicted of a felony, or a penalty restricting freedom for a misdemeanor that violates honor, trust, or public morals, unless their reputation has been restored.
2- The company’s issued or paid-up capital, as the case may be, shall not be less than two hundred and fifty thousand pounds, and shall be entirely owned by Egyptians if the company carries out operations inside the country, and not less than five hundred thousand pounds if it carries out operations to employ Egyptians abroad or inside and outside the country together, and the absolute majority of the founders and members of the board of directors shall be Egyptians who own in total at least (51%) of its capital.
3- The company shall provide insurance of no less than one million pounds, either in cash or by an unconditional and irrevocable letter of guarantee issued by one of the banks registered with the Central Bank, in favor of the competent ministry, and that it be valid throughout the license validity period, in order to ensure the licensee’s commitment to its obligations. The value of the insurance must be completed in the amount of any fines or compensations that it has not paid, or amounts that it has unlawfully collected, in accordance with the provisions of this law, within fifteen days from the date of notifying the licensed company by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt of the necessity of completing the insurance.
The license shall be for a period of one year, renewable in accordance with the rules and procedures issued by a decision of the competent minister, in return for payment of the fee determined by the competent minister for granting or renewing the license, not exceeding ten thousand pounds. The competent minister may add other conditions for obtaining the license, and he may stop issuing new licenses if the public interest requires this in light of actual changes in the labor market.
Article 42: The competent minister shall issue a decision that includes the obligations of companies licensed to operate and the conditions that must be met at the company’s headquarters and management, and the organization of work procedures in this activity and the records necessary to carry out its work that must be kept, the rules for registration therein, supervision and inspection thereof, and the conditions that must be met in the advertisements published about job opportunities.
Article 43: The entities referred to in Article 40 of this law are prohibited from collecting any financial sums from the worker, directly or indirectly, in exchange for his joining the work, and they may collect a fee for that from the employer.
As an exception to the provisions of the first paragraph of this article, the companies referred to in Clause (3) of Article (40) of this law may charge an amount not exceeding (1%) of the wage of the worker who is assigned to the work, for the first year only as administrative expenses, and it is prohibited to charge any other amounts from the worker under any name.
Article 44: The license referred to in Clause (3) of Article (40) of this Law shall be cancelled by a decision of the competent minister in the following cases:
1- The company has lost one of the license conditions.
2- The company obtained or renewed the license based on incorrect data provided by it.
3- Proof that the company is practicing its activity outside the headquarters where it is licensed to practice the activity.
4- Employing the worker without a written employment contract, or its equivalent in some countries, or the contract not being approved by the competent administrative authority.
5- Failure to keep records for recording workers’ data or recording the amounts collected from them, which shall be determined by a decision issued by the competent minister.
6- The company advertises fake jobs or exceeds the limits of contracting with employers.
7- The company shall not collect any amounts from the worker for employing him in violation of the provisions of this law. The competent minister may temporarily suspend the company's activity in any of the cases stated in the first paragraph of this article until a decision is made on the extent to which those cases are proven, or those violations are eliminated. Cancellation of the license in any of the cases stated in this article shall not prejudice criminal, civil or disciplinary liability.
Article 45: Taking into account the provisions of Article 40 of this law, establishments may not employ workers through a contractor or labor supply contractor.
Article 46: Without prejudice to the provisions of the Law Regulating the Practice of Private Work issued by Law No. 149 of 2019, the competent minister may, in accordance with the needs of the labor market, license civil associations and institutions to establish offices to employ the unemployed within the country.
These offices must comply with the provisions contained in this chapter of the law and the ministerial decisions issued in this regard.
The competent minister shall issue a decision regulating the work of these offices, the conditions for granting the license, the cases of its cancellation, and the fees imposed on it, not to exceed five thousand pounds.
These offices are exempt from the legal form of companies, and are also exempt from providing insurance or a letter of guarantee.
Article 47: The employer may advertise vacant positions in various media outlets, or assign private employment agencies to fill those positions.
The employer or employment agency must notify the competent administrative authority, in writing or electronically, of the advertisement and submit a statement of the positions filled in accordance with it.
Article 48: The entities referred to in Article 40 of this Law, with the exception of Clause 1, shall submit to the competent ministry within five actual working days a true copy of the application received regarding the provision of employment opportunities abroad and their conditions, certified by the competent authorities. They shall also submit a copy of the concluded agreements and employment contracts, including the definition of the work, the specified wage, the terms and conditions of its performance, and the worker’s obligations. The competent ministry shall have, within a maximum of fifteen days from the date of notification of the completed agreements, applications, and contracts, the right to object to them in the event that the wage is not appropriate or that they violate public order and public morals. If the aforementioned period expires without an objection from the ministry, the agreements, applications, and contracts shall be deemed approved.
The competent minister shall issue a decision regarding the procedures, method and means of notifying those parties regarding the competent ministry’s objection.
Article 49: The competent ministry, in cooperation with the concerned ministries and authorities, shall follow up on the implementation of international agreements and contracts related to Egyptian workers abroad, and seek to settle disputes arising from the implementation of these agreements and contracts.
Article 50: International organizations may engage in the process of recruiting Egyptian workers who possess special expertise and competencies to work outside the country, if the contract is with governmental bodies or Arab or foreign public bodies, after obtaining the approval of the relevant authorities.
It must submit to the competent ministry a statement of the job opportunities provided by these entities and the employment contracts concluded.
Article 51: All entities that carry out operations inside and outside the country are obligated to provide the competent ministry with data and results of their work at least every six months, and a decision shall be issued by the competent minister to determine the rules and procedures for this.
Article 52: It is not permissible to practice the process of recruiting Egyptians inside and outside the country electronically through websites, pages or electronic platforms except after obtaining a license for that from the competent ministry, with the exception of the employment agencies referred to in Clause (3) of Article (40).
The competent minister, in consultation with the minister concerned with communications affairs, shall issue a decision setting out the rules for granting this license, its duration not exceeding one year, the fees imposed on it, not less than one thousand pounds and not more than ten thousand pounds, the controls and operating rules, the reports it submits on the results of its work, and the mechanisms for coordination with it.
(Chapter Three) Women's Employment
Article 53: Without prejudice to the provisions of the following articles, all provisions regulating the employment of workers shall apply to working women, without discrimination.
All male and female workers are entitled to equal pay for work of equal value, including all forms and components of pay, including cash or in-kind benefits, bonuses, incentives, allowances, etc. The competent minister, after consulting the National Council for Women and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, shall issue a decision specifying the conditions or jobs in which women may not be employed, with the aim of providing the necessary measures to protect motherhood or address occupational health and safety risks.
Article 54: A female worker has the right to maternity leave for a period of four months, including the period before and after childbirth, provided that the period of this leave after childbirth is not less than forty-five days, provided that she submits a medical certificate indicating the date on which the childbirth is likely to occur. This leave shall be paid, and in all cases, the female worker shall not be entitled to this leave more than three times throughout the period of her service.
The employer is obligated to deduct from the wage what he is obligated to pay as compensation for the wage in accordance with the provisions of Article (77) of the Social Insurance and Pensions Law issued by Law No. 148 of 2019. The daily working hours of a pregnant woman are reduced by at least one hour starting from the sixth month of pregnancy, and she may not be obligated to work additional hours throughout the pregnancy and until the end of six months from the date of delivery.
Article 55: After the end of the maternity leave specified in Article 54 of this law, the female worker has the right to return to her job or a similar job without prejudice to any benefits granted to her original job. It is prohibited to dismiss the female worker or terminate her service during maternity leave. It is also prohibited to dismiss her or terminate her service after her return from this leave, unless the employer proves that the dismissal or termination of service was for a legitimate reason.
However, the employer may deprive the worker of compensation for her wages for the period of leave referred to or recover what was paid thereof if it is proven that she worked for someone else during the leave, without prejudice to disciplinary accountability.
Article 56: A female worker who breastfeeds her child during the two years following the date of delivery shall have, in addition to the prescribed rest period, the right to two other periods for breastfeeding, each of which shall not be less than half an hour, and the female worker shall have the right to combine these two periods.
These two additional periods are considered part of the working hours and do not result in any reduction in wages.
Article 57: Taking into account the provisions of the second paragraph of Article (72) of the Child Law issued by Law No. 12 of 1996, a female worker in an establishment that employs fifty or more workers shall have the right to obtain unpaid leave for a period not exceeding two years, in order to care for her child. She shall not be entitled to this leave more than three times throughout her service period, provided that she has been in the establishment for at least one year, and that the period between the first and second leave shall not be less than two years.
Article 58: A female worker may terminate her employment contract due to her marriage, pregnancy, or childbirth, provided that she notifies the employer in writing of her desire to do so within three months from the date of concluding the marriage contract, or the pregnancy being proven, or from the date of delivery, as the case may be, taking into account that this does not affect the rights granted to her in accordance with the provisions of this law or the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
Article 59: If the employer employs one or more female workers, he must post a copy of the Women’s Employment Regulations in the workplace or workers’ meeting place.
This system must include procedures, controls, rules and schedules for flexible working hours or remote work for women who care for children with disabilities or dwarfs.
Article 60: Without prejudice to the provisions of the aforementioned Child Law, an employer who employs one hundred or more female workers in one place must establish a nursery, or entrust a nursery to care for the children of female workers.
Establishments located in a single region and each employing less than 100 female workers are required to participate in implementing the obligation stipulated in the first paragraph of this article. As an exception, the employer may bear the costs of childcare in a nursery.
All of this is subject to the controls and conditions issued by a decision of the competent minister after coordination with the minister concerned with social solidarity affairs and the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood.
( Chapter Four) Provisions for the employment and training of children
Article 61: The provisions of the aforementioned Child Law shall apply to this chapter insofar as there is no specific text regarding it.
In the application of the provisions of this law, a child is considered to be anyone who has not reached the age of eighteen years.
Article 62: It is prohibited to employ children before they reach the age of fifteen. However, they may be trained when they reach the age of fourteen, in a manner that does not prevent them from continuing their education.
Every employer who trains a child under the age of fifteen is obligated to provide him with a card proving that he is training with him, which must have a picture of the child affixed to it, be approved by the competent administrative authority, and be stamped with its seal.
Article 63: The employment or training of children, and the determination of the conditions, circumstances, rules and procedures in which this is done, shall be in accordance with the decision issued by the competent minister in coordination with the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood.
Article 64: It is prohibited to employ or train children in jobs, professions, or industries that would endanger their physical or psychological health, safety, or morals, or hinder them from continuing their education. It is also prohibited to employ or train them in any illegal work, or any work that is considered one of the worst forms of child labor, in accordance with the international agreements, charters, and treaties ratified by the Arab Republic of Egypt.
The competent minister, in coordination with the National Council for Childhood and Motherhood, shall issue a decision specifying these jobs, professions and industries according to the different age groups.
Article 65: It is prohibited for a child to work for more than six hours a day. The working hours must include one or more periods for eating and rest, the total of which must not be less than one hour. This period or periods must be determined so that the child does not work for more than four consecutive hours. It is prohibited for a child to work overtime or to work on weekly rest days and official holidays.
In all cases, it is prohibited to employ children between 7 pm and 7 am.
Article 66: An employer who employs one or more children must take into account the following:
1 - Posting a copy containing the provisions included in this chapter in a visible place in the workplace.
2- Preparing a statement showing working hours and rest periods, approved by the competent administrative authority.
3- Informing the competent administrative authority of the names of the children working for him, the tasks they are assigned to do, and the names of the persons assigned to monitor their work.
4- Providing separate housing for children from other adults, in accordance with the controls and provisions issued by a decision of the competent minister. In all cases, it is prohibited for a child to spend the night in the workplace.
Article 67: Without prejudice to the provisions of the aforementioned Child Law, rehabilitation authorities shall notify the competent administrative authority within whose jurisdiction the child with a disability resides of the child’s rehabilitation, and shall record the names of the children who have been rehabilitated in a special paper or electronic register, and shall deliver to the child with a disability or his representative a registration certificate free of charge.
The competent administrative authority is obligated to assist children with disabilities registered with it in joining jobs that are appropriate to their ages, abilities, and place of residence. It must notify the Social Solidarity Directorate within its jurisdiction with a monthly statement about children with disabilities who have been employed.
Article 68: Parents or the child’s guardian, as the case may be, are prohibited from employing the child in violation of the provisions of this law and the executive decisions issued for it.
(Chapter Five) Regulating the Work of Foreigners
Article 69: Work, in the application of the provisions of this chapter, means any work that is subordinate, free, or self-employed, or work in any profession, trade, or craft, including work in domestic service.
Article 70: The work of foreigners in all private sector establishments, public sector units, the public business sector, public bodies, local administration, and the state’s administrative apparatus is subject to the provisions contained in this chapter, taking into account the condition of reciprocity.
The competent minister shall determine the maximum percentage of foreign employment in such establishments and entities, the cases of exception to that percentage, and the professions and trades in which foreigners are prohibited from working. The competent minister may exempt foreigners from the requirement of reciprocity.
Article 71: A foreigner may not work inside the country unless he has obtained a license to do so from the competent ministry and is authorized to enter and reside in the country for the purpose of work. Business owners may not employ foreigners unless they have obtained this license.
The competent minister shall issue a decision on the conditions for obtaining the aforementioned license, its procedures, the information it contains, the procedures for its renewal, the fee to be collected for it, and the fees for exemption from the recruitment conditions, amounting to no less than five thousand pounds and no more than one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. He shall specify the cases for canceling the license before its expiration, the cases for exempting foreigners from the condition of obtaining it, and the cases for exemption from the recruitment condition, in line with the needs of the labor market.
Anyone who employs a foreigner who is exempt from the requirement to obtain a license is obligated to notify the competent administrative authority of this within seven days of the foreigner starting the work and upon the termination of his service with him.
Article 72: The employer is obligated to inform the administrative body and the competent authorities of the foreign worker’s absence from work for a period of fifteen consecutive days without a legal justification permitting this, and the competent minister shall issue a decision regarding the controls, conditions and procedures regulating this.
Article 73: Without prejudice to the provisions of the Investment Law issued by Law No. 72 of 2017, the competent minister may, in agreement with the minister concerned with investment affairs, establish the rules and controls necessary for licensing work for foreigners subject to the provisions of the aforementioned Investment Law.
Article 74: The employer for whom the foreigner works is obligated to return him to the country from which he was brought in at the employer’s own expense upon the termination of the employment relationship, unless the employment contract stipulates otherwise.
The competent minister shall issue a decision regarding the cases, dates and procedures regulating this.
Chapter Three: Employing irregular workers
Article 75: The provisions of this chapter aim to organize, support, and employ irregular workers and workers in the informal sector at the national level, and to help them obtain decent job opportunities for them, develop their skills in a manner consistent with the needs of the labor market at home and abroad, protect them during work, and provide the necessary support during periods of unemployment.
All rights and duties stipulated in this law apply to irregular workers and workers in the informal sector who work for employers.
The competent minister shall issue a decision on the rules and provisions regulating the terms and conditions of work for these categories, and the methods for obtaining their rights and performing their duties, in accordance with the nature and periods of their work.
Article 76: The competent ministry shall undertake the development of a policy and follow-up on the employment of irregular workers, especially seasonal agricultural workers, contracting workers, sea workers, and mine and quarry workers, in accordance with the general policy of the state.
The competent minister shall determine the categories of irregular workers in consultation with the relevant ministers, the relevant trade union organizations, and the relevant employers’ organizations.
Article 77: The competent administrative authority shall be obligated to record and register irregular workers, according to their classification and categories, in the paper or electronic records prepared for this purpose.
It is also committed to preparing national databases for irregular employment categories and linking them to state agencies and ministries in coordination with the relevant authorities, especially the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics and the National Social Insurance Authority.
The competent minister shall issue a decision on the necessary rules and procedures for this purpose.
Article 78: A fund shall be established to protect and employ irregular workers, called the “Emergency Aid, Social and Health Services Fund for Irregular Workers.” It shall have a public legal personality, be subordinate to the competent minister, and its headquarters shall be in Cairo Governorate. It may establish branches in the governorates.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision to form the Fund’s Board of Directors, headed by the relevant minister, and with membership of representatives of the relevant trade union organizations and the relevant employers’ organizations equally, and representatives of the relevant ministries and authorities. The decision shall specify the Board’s powers, the Fund’s bylaws, the financial treatment of the Chairman and members of the Board of Directors, provided that it is from its own resources, and the accounting system to be followed.
Article 79: The Fund shall be responsible for the following:
1- Disbursing emergency aid to irregular workers in cases of general economic crises, disasters, epidemics, or temporary work stoppages.
2- Providing social and health services to irregular workers.
3- Support for medical expenses and services.
4- Contributing to the payment of social insurance subscriptions for irregular workers in agreement with the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Social Solidarity, and the National Social Insurance Authority, and within the limits of the Fund’s resources.
5- Supporting, developing and enhancing the operational processes necessary for irregular workers.
6- Training irregular workers subject to the provisions of this law and developing their technical and professional skills in various fields of work in coordination with the competent ministry.
7- Contributing to providing the necessary work tools for some categories of irregular workers to carry out their work.
8- Contributing to providing transportation, food and accommodation at remote work sites.
9- Participate in supporting compliance with the necessary occupational health and safety requirements and securing the work environment.
10- Providing cultural and sports programs, and holding the necessary competitions to develop the skills of irregular workers, artistically, culturally, and athletically, and preparing recreational trip programs and summer resorts according to available resources.
11- Contributing to financing the process of identifying irregular workers at the national level or preparing their databases.
12- Launching media awareness campaigns to raise awareness of the rights of irregular workers and their insurance, social, and other rights.
13- Establishing the electronic platforms necessary to provide the Fund’s digital services.
14 - Establishing development projects aimed at improving the conditions of informal workers, or integrating workers in the informal sector into the formal sector at the national level, either individually or in cooperation with specialized international or regional bodies and organizations, after the approval of the relevant national authorities.
Article 80: The competent minister, in consultation with the concerned ministers, shall issue the financial and administrative regulations of the Fund, the system for collecting its resources, the regulations for the services it provides, the value of emergency financial aid and the controls for its entitlement, its duration, the cases in which it is suspended, the documents necessary to prove it, and the method and mechanisms for its disbursement.
Article 81: In cases of general emergency, the President of the Republic may issue a decision to disburse urgent emergency aid to all or some of the irregular workers, or to their families, in the cases and conditions specified by the decision.
Article 82: The Fund’s resources consist of the following:
1- A percentage of no less than (1%) and no more than (3%) of the actual value of wages for irregular workers in the contracting, construction and building sector. If it is not possible to determine the actual value of wages, the value of wages shall be estimated by law at a percentage of no more than (20%) of the value of the operation in general contracting, and no more than (45%) in service and manufacturing operations.
2 - A percentage of no less than (1%) and no more than (3%) of the actual value of wages for irregular workers in the mining and quarrying sector and the like. If it is not possible to determine the actual value of wages, the value of wages shall be estimated by law at a percentage not exceeding (15%) of the value of the operation.
3- Registration subscription for other irregular employment categories, not less than 20 pounds and not more than 200 pounds per month.
4- A percentage of (0.5%) half a percent of the value of sales of agricultural products purchased by the state.
5- An amount of 100 pounds for each request for documentation, signature verification, or validity of agricultural land sale contracts.
6- An amount not exceeding 50 pounds for each professional driving license issued for the first time or upon renewal.
7- All funds of irregular workers’ accounts in the labor directorates, and returns on their assets and deposits.
8- Donations and gifts in kind and in cash approved by the Board of Directors, provided that they do not violate applicable laws and regulations.
9- Returns on services provided by the Fund for a nominal fee (if any).
10- Return on investment of the Fund’s funds. A decision shall be issued by the Chairman of the Fund’s Board of Directors to determine the categories of fees and subscriptions referred to in this Article, not exceeding the maximum limit set, and the dates for payment thereof.
Article 83: The Fund shall have a special account with one of the commercial banks registered with the Central Bank of Egypt and an independent budget, prepared in the style of the budgets of public economic bodies. The Fund shall prepare annually the statements indicating the financial position in accordance with the financial accounting system. The Fund’s fiscal year shall begin with the state’s fiscal year and end with its end. Its funds shall be subject to the oversight of the Central Auditing Organization, and its surplus funds shall be carried over from one fiscal year to another.
Article 84: The Fund’s assets are considered public funds, particularly with regard to the application of the provisions of the Penal Code. The Fund has the right to take direct enforcement and administrative seizure measures in accordance with the provisions of Law No. 308 of 1955 regarding administrative seizure.
Article 85: The employees of the competent ministry and its directorates, each within the limits of his jurisdiction, are obligated to implement the provisions of this chapter and the regulations and decisions issued by the Fund’s Board of Directors in coordination with the Fund’s management. A decision shall be issued by the competent minister regarding the rules, procedures and mechanisms for coordination.
Book Three: Labor Relations
Chapter One: Individual Labor Relations
(Chapter One) Individual Employment Contract
Article 86: The provisions of this chapter shall apply to the contract by which a worker undertakes to work for an employer under his management or supervision in exchange for wages.
Article 87: An individual employment contract shall be concluded for an indefinite period, or for a specific period if the nature of the work so requires. The contract may also be renewed for other similar periods by agreement of the two parties.
Article 88: The employment contract shall be deemed to be of indefinite duration from the time of its conclusion in the following cases:
1- If it is not written.
2- If the contract does not specify its duration.
3- If it was concluded for a specific period and the two parties continued to implement it after the expiry of this period without a written agreement between them.
Article 89: The employer is obligated to draw up the employment contract in writing in the Arabic language in four copies. The employer shall keep one copy, one copy shall be given to the worker, the third copy shall be deposited with the competent social insurance office, and the fourth copy with the competent administrative authority.
If the worker is a foreigner and does not speak Arabic, the employment contract may be drawn up in Arabic and the worker’s language. In the event of a difference in interpretation, the employment contract drawn up in Arabic shall prevail.
The contract must include, in particular, the following information:
1- Contract start date.
2- Name of employer and address of workplace.
- The worker’s name, qualifications, profession or trade, insurance number, place of residence, and what is necessary to prove his identity.
4- The nature and type of work subject to the contract.
5- The agreed-upon wage, the method and date of payment, and all agreed-upon monetary and in-kind benefits. If there is no written contract, both the employee and the employer shall have the right to prove the employment relationship, its duration, and all rights arising therefrom by all means of proof.
The employer shall give the worker a receipt for any papers and certificates he has deposited with him.
Article 90: The probationary period shall be specified in the employment contract for a period not exceeding three months. A worker may not be appointed on probation more than once by a single employer.
Article 91: The employer may not deviate from the terms agreed upon in the individual employment contract or collective labor agreement, or assign the worker to work other than that agreed upon, except when necessary, to prevent an accident, to repair what resulted from it, or in the case of force majeure, provided that this is on a temporary basis. He may assign the worker to work other than that agreed upon, if it does not differ from it fundamentally. In all cases, the worker’s rights may not be infringed upon.
Article 92: The employer must create a paper or electronic file for each worker that includes his name, profession, level of skill upon joining the job, place of residence, marital status, date of commencement of service, wage, statement of any developments and penalties imposed on him, statement of any vacations he has obtained, and include or deposit in the file a copy of the employment contract, investigation reports, if any, reports of his superiors on his work in accordance with what is stipulated in the establishment’s regulations, and any other papers related to the worker’s service and what indicates his insurance with the National Social Insurance Authority, and the initial medical examination. This data may only be viewed by those legally authorized to do so, and this file must be submitted to the competent administrative authority or the competent labor court, as the case may be, upon request.
The employee must keep the worker’s file, whether in paper or electronic form, for a period of at least five years, starting from the date of termination of the employment relationship. In all cases, the file must be kept in the event of a legal dispute until the case is resolved by a final judgment.
Article 93: The employer is obligated to transfer the worker from the place where he was contracted to the workplace, and is also obligated to return him to that place within three days from the date of termination of the employment contract for one of the reasons stated in this law, even if it is during the probationary period, unless the worker refuses in writing to return within the aforementioned period.
If the employer fails to do so, the competent administrative authority must, upon the worker’s request, return him to the entity with which he was contracted at its expense, and this entity may recover what it has spent by way of administrative seizure.
Article 94: If an employer entrusts another employer with the performance of any of his work, or part thereof, in one work area, the latter must treat his workers equally with the workers of the original employer in all rights, and the latter shall be jointly liable with him in fulfilling all obligations imposed by the provisions of this law. In all cases, the rights of the worker may not be infringed upon.
Article 95: The worker who has been trained at the employer’s expense is obligated to spend the agreed-upon period with him. If he leaves work before the expiration of this period, he is obligated to pay the training expenses, without prejudice to the employer’s right to compensation, unless the employment contract stipulates otherwise.
(Chapter Two) New Work Patterns
Article 96: Any work performed by a worker in a non-traditional manner, regardless of the form of work performance or method of implementation, and provided for the benefit of the employer and under his management or supervision, in return for wages of any kind, shall be considered a new type of work. The following shall be considered a new type of work in particular:
1- Remote work, which is performing work in a location other than the traditional headquarters of the facility, and is implemented through technological means.
2 - Part-time or part-time work, which is work performed during fewer working hours than the full working hours for similar work.
3- Flexible work, which is performing work for the same number of working hours required of the worker, at non-consecutive times agreed upon between the two parties to the employment relationship, or by changing the working hours, number of them, or place of work.
4- Work sharing, which is work that is done by more than one person and they share roles or times, and they also share the wage, according to what is agreed upon.
5- Any other forms of work specified by a decision issued by the competent minister.
Article 97: The same rules that apply to traditional work relationships apply to labor relations in new work patterns, taking into account the nature of each job and the method of performing it.
All rights and duties that apply to workers in traditional work patterns also apply to workers in these patterns, especially social protection and social security, the minimum wage and the method of calculating it, ensuring access to it, providing vocational training and skills development programs, the right to collective bargaining, and freedom of association in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Trade Union Organizations and Protection of the Right to Organize Trade Unions issued by Law No. 213 of 2017.
Article 98: With the agreement of both parties in the new work patterns, the worker may work for more than one employer, with the worker being obligated not to disclose work secrets, or to work for himself in addition to his work for others.
Article 99: The employment relationship in the new work patterns must be clear and specified in a written work contract, whether in paper or electronic form, and the worker may prove the employment relationship by all means of proof.
Article 100: The competent minister shall, in consultation with labor union organizations and employers’ organizations, issue the necessary decisions to regulate new work patterns, determine their forms and guiding models for work contracts and regulations, methods of proving the work relationship, and mechanisms for both parties to obtain their rights, within a period not exceeding six months from the date of issuance of this law.
(Chapter Three) Wages
Article 101: The National Wages Council shall be formed under the chairmanship of the Minister responsible for planning, economic development and international cooperation, and with the membership of each of:
The competent minister, or his representative.
The Minister responsible for social solidarity affairs, or his representative.
The Minister responsible for financial affairs, or his representative.
The Minister responsible for industrial affairs, or his representative.
The Minister responsible for public business sector affairs, or his representative.
The Minister in charge of supply and internal trade affairs, or his representative.
The President of the National Council for Women, or his representative.
Head of the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
CEO of the General Authority for Investment and Free Zones.
Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Social Insurance Authority.
The head of the Central Agency for Organization and Administration, or his representative.
The Chairman of the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, or his representative.
Six members representing employers' organizations, selected from the most representative organizations, in terms of membership.
Six members representing the most representative trade union organizations concerned, nominated by their organizations, taking into account representation of all levels of the trade union organizations concerned unless this is impossible.
The Council may seek the assistance of a sufficient number of experts, specialists or public figures, in accordance with the topics on the agenda, without them having a vote in the deliberations.
Article 102: The Council referred to in Article (101) of this Law shall be specifically responsible for the following:
1- Setting a minimum wage for workers in all sectors at the national level, taking into account the needs of workers and their families, the cost of living and its changes, achieving a balance between the two parties to the employment relationship, and ensuring increased production rates.
2- Setting the minimum annual periodic bonus, not less than the percentage stipulated in Article (12) of this law, and the rules regulating its disbursement in accordance with the provisions of this law.
3- Considering business owners’ requests to reduce or exempt from paying the periodic bonus due to emergency economic circumstances.
4- Establishing the standards and controls on the basis of which requests for reduction or exemption from the annual periodic bonus are accepted or rejected.
5- Notifying the relevant ministries of the acceptance or rejection of requests submitted by the concerned parties for reduction or exemption from the payment of the annual periodic allowance.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision specifying the Council’s work system and its other powers, within a maximum period of six months from the date of this law’s entry into force.
Article 103: The National Wages Council shall meet at the invitation of its Chairman at least every six months, or whenever necessary. Its meetings shall be valid with the attendance of the majority of members, and its decisions shall be issued by a majority of the votes of its members present. In the event of a tie, the side to which the Chairman belongs shall prevail.
Article 104: Establishments subject to the provisions of this law are obligated to implement the decisions of the National Wages Council, each in its own regard.
Article 105: The inspection bodies of the competent ministry must conduct periodic inspections of the establishments subject to the provisions of this law to verify the implementation of the decisions of the National Wages Council. Business owners or their representatives must keep paper or electronic records that include data on workers and the wage due to each worker.
Article 106: Without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the State Council Courts, any interested party may appeal the decisions issued by the National Wages Council regarding employers’ requests to reduce or exempt from paying the annual periodic bonus before the Labor Court, within thirty days from the date set for paying the bonus or notification of the contested decision, as the case may be.
Article 107: The wage shall be determined in accordance with the individual employment contract, the collective labor agreement, or the approved establishment regulations. If it is not determined in any of these ways, the worker shall be entitled to the wage of the equivalent, if any. Otherwise, the wage shall be estimated in accordance with the custom of the profession in the place where the work is performed. If no custom exists, the judge of temporary matters at the competent labor court shall estimate the wage in accordance with the requirements of justice, taking into account the provisions of this law.
Article 108: Wages and other amounts due to the worker shall be paid on one of the working days and at his place in the legally circulating currency, or into the worker’s bank account, taking into account the following provisions:
1- Workers appointed on a monthly wage shall be paid their wages at least once a month.
2- If the wage is based on production or commission and the work requires a period of more than two weeks, the worker must receive an advance payment each week in proportion to the work he has completed, and the remainder of his wage must be paid to him during the week following the delivery of what he was assigned to do.
3- In cases other than those mentioned in Clauses (1 and 2) of this Article, workers shall be paid their wages at most once a week, unless otherwise agreed upon.
4- If the employment relationship ends for any reason, the employer shall pay the worker his wages and all amounts due to him within a period not exceeding seven days from the date on which the worker requests these dues.
In all cases, the worker's wages must not be less than the minimum wage, and it is prohibited to withhold the worker's wages or part of them without legal basis.
Article 109: The average daily wage for production workers, or workers who receive basic wages plus a commission or percentage, shall be calculated on the basis of the average of what the worker received for the actual working days in the previous calendar year, or for the period of time he worked if it was less than that, divided by the number of actual working days for the same period.
Article 110: The employer is prohibited from transferring a worker from the category of monthly wage workers to the category of daily workers, or workers with a weekly wage, or by the hour, or by production, except with his approval. In this case, the worker shall have all the rights he acquired during the period he spent with the monthly wage.
Article 111: If the worker arrives at his workplace at the time specified for work, and is ready to begin his work, and is prevented from doing so by reasons attributable to the employer, he is considered to have actually performed his work and is entitled to his full wage. However, if he arrives and is prevented from beginning his work by compelling reasons beyond the employer’s control, he is entitled to half his wage.
Article 112: The employer may not oblige the worker to purchase food, goods or services from specific stores, or from goods produced by the employer or services provided by him.
Article 113: The employer may not deduct more than ten percent from the worker’s wages to repay any money he may have lent him during the term of the contract, or charge any interest on these loans. This provision applies to wages paid in advance.
Article 114: Without prejudice to the provisions of the Law Regulating Certain Conditions and Procedures for Litigation in Personal Status Matters issued by Law No. 1 of 2000, in all cases, it is not permissible to deduct, seize, or waive the wage due to the worker to pay any debt except within the limits of twenty-five percent of this wage. The percentage of deduction may be raised to fifty percent in the case of a maintenance debt.
In the event of a conflict, the alimony debt shall take precedence, followed by any claim due to the worker's damaged tools or equipment, or to recover any unjustifiable expenses or penalties incurred by the worker. For a waiver of wages within the percentage stipulated in this article to be valid, it must be approved in writing by the worker.
The percentage referred to in the first paragraph of this article shall be calculated after deducting income tax on the wage, the value of subscriptions and amounts due in accordance with the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law, and what the employer may have loaned to the worker within the limits of the percentage stipulated in Article (113) of this law.
Article 115: The employer shall not be released from his wages unless the worker signs a document indicating receipt of the wages in the register prepared for that purpose, or in the payroll, or completes the transfer of his wages and dues to his account in a bank. The employer is obligated to give the worker a statement of the details of his wages.
Article 116: Taking into account the provisions of Article (115) of this Law, the employer shall pay his child workers their wages, bonuses, or other amounts to which they are legally entitled.
This delivery will absolve him of his responsibility.
(Chapter Four) Working hours and rest periods
Article 117: Without prejudice to the provisions of Law No. 133 of 1961 regarding the regulation of workers’ employment in industrial establishments, a worker may not be employed for more than eight hours per day, or forty-eight hours per week, not including periods allocated for eating and rest.
The competent minister may, by decision, reduce the maximum working hours for some categories of workers, or in some industries or businesses that he specifies.
Article 118: Working hours must include one or more periods for eating and rest, and their total shall not be less than one hour. In determining this period, care must be taken that the worker does not work more than five consecutive hours. The competent minister may, by decision, determine the cases or jobs in which, for technical reasons or operational conditions, work must continue without a rest period, and the tiring jobs in which the worker is granted rest periods, which are counted as part of the actual working hours.
Article 119: Working hours and rest periods must be organized so that the period between the beginning and end of working hours does not exceed ten hours per day. The rest period is counted as one of the hours of presence if the worker is in the workplace during it.
Exempted from this rule are workers engaged in intermittent work by nature, and work of a special nature, which is determined by the competent minister by a decision issued by him, provided that the period of their presence in the facility does not exceed twelve hours per day.
Article 120: Work in the facility must be organized so that each worker receives a weekly rest of no less than twenty-four full hours after a maximum of six consecutive work days. In all cases, the weekly rest shall be paid.
As an exception to the provision contained in the first paragraph of this Article, in places far from urban areas, and in jobs where the nature of the work or operating conditions require continuous work, the weekly rest periods due to the worker may be combined for a period not exceeding eight weeks. The work organization and penalties regulations shall specify the rules for obtaining combined weekly rest periods, and establishments with fewer than ten workers shall establish rules for organizing their combined weekly rest periods in accordance with the decisions issued by the establishment.
When calculating the duration of the weekly combined rest periods, it should start from the time the workers arrive at the nearest site with transportation and end at the time they return to it.
Article 121: The employer may not abide by the provisions of Articles 117, 118, 119, and 120 of this law, if the employment is intended to meet unusual work requirements or exceptional circumstances. In these cases, it is required that the competent administrative authority be notified within seven days of the occurrence of the unusual work circumstances or exceptional circumstances of the justifications for the additional employment and the period required to complete the work.
In this case, the worker is entitled, in addition to his wage for the original working hours, to wages for overtime hours as agreed upon in the individual or collective employment contract, provided that they are not less than the wage the worker is entitled to plus (35%) for the daytime working hour, and (70%) for the night working hour, calculated on the basis of the wage for his original working hour. If the work occurs on a rest day, the worker is entitled to the same wage as compensation for this day, and the employer gives him another day in its place during the following week.
In all cases, the worker’s working hours at the facility may not exceed twelve hours.
Article 122: The employer must place at the main entrances used by workers, or in a visible place in the facility, a schedule showing the weekly rest day, working hours, and rest periods designated for all workers, and any amendments to this schedule, with notification to the competent administrative authority with a copy of this schedule, or any amendments to it, within seven days of its implementation at most.
Article 123: The provisions of Articles 117, 118, 119, and 120 (second paragraph) of this law shall not apply to the following categories:
1- Authorized agents of the employer.
2- Workers engaged in preparatory and complementary work that must be completed before or after the end of work.
3- Workers assigned to security and cleaning.
The maximum actual and additional working hours for the work referred to in Clauses (2, 3) of the first paragraph of this Article shall be determined by a decision of the competent minister, and in this case, workers shall be entitled to additional pay in accordance with the text of Article (121) of this Law.
(Chapter Five) Vacations
Article 124: The worker is entitled to an annual leave with pay, which does not include holidays, official occasions, and weekly rest days, as follows:
1- Fifteen days in the first year.
2- Twenty-one days starting from the second year.
3- Thirty days for those who have spent ten full years with an employer or more, or for those who are over fifty years old.
4- Forty-five days for people with disabilities and dwarfs.
If the worker’s service period is less than one year, his leave shall be proportional to the period he spent at work, provided that he has spent at least six months in the employer’s service.
In all cases, the annual leave period shall be increased by seven days for workers who work in hazardous or unhealthy jobs, or in remote areas, which shall be determined by a decision issued by the competent minister after taking the opinion of the relevant authorities.
Article (125): The employer shall determine the dates of annual leave according to the requirements and circumstances of the work, and it may not be interrupted except for compelling reasons required by the interests of the work.
The worker may not waive his leave, and he is obligated to take the leave on the date and for the period specified by the employer and of which he was notified. If the worker refuses in writing to take the leave, he forfeits his right to collect compensation for it.
In all cases, the worker must be granted an annual leave of fifteen days, of which at least six days must be consecutive. The employer is obligated to settle the leave balance, or the corresponding wage, every three years at most. If the employment relationship ends before the worker has exhausted his annual leave balance, he is entitled to the wage corresponding to this balance.
The leave may not be divided, combined or postponed for children, persons with disabilities and dwarfs.
Article 126: The worker has the right to determine the date of his annual leave if he is applying to take an exam in one of the educational stages, provided that he notifies the employer at least fifteen days before taking the leave.
The worker has the right to obtain paid study leave for the actual exam days, which shall not be deducted from his annual leave balance, provided that:
1- Notify the employer at least ten days before the leave.
2- Proof that he actually took the exam.
Article 127: The employer may deprive the worker of his wages for the period of leave, or recover the wages he paid for it, if it is proven that he worked during it for someone else, without prejudice to the disciplinary penalty.
Article 128: The worker may be absent from work for an emergency reason for a period not exceeding seven days during the year, and a maximum of two days at a time. The emergency leave shall be counted as part of the worker’s annual leave.
A worker who has a child is entitled to emergency paid leave on the day of birth, which is not deducted from his annual leave balance, up to a maximum of three times throughout the period of service.
Article 129: The worker has the right to paid leave on holidays, feasts, and occasions that are determined by a decision issued by the competent minister. The provisions of the Cabinet’s decision issued in this regard shall apply to religious holidays for non-Muslims.
The employer may employ the worker on these days, if the work conditions require it. In this case, the worker is entitled, in addition to his wage for this day, to double that wage, or the worker may be given another day in its place, based on a written request from the worker, which is deposited in his file.
Article 130: A worker who has spent five consecutive years in the service of an employer has the right to a paid leave for one month to perform the Hajj pilgrimage or visit the Holy House of Jerusalem. This leave shall be granted once during the entire period of his service.
Article 131: A worker who proves to be ill or injured in a way that prevents him from performing his work has the right to sick leave determined by the competent medical authority, during which the worker is entitled to compensation for wages, the percentage and duration of which are determined in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
A worker who proves his illness in industrial establishments subject to the Law Facilitating the Granting of Industrial Establishment Licensing issued by Law No. 15 of 2017 shall be entitled to sick leave every three years spent in service on the basis of three months with pay, then six months with pay equivalent to (85%) of his pay, then three months with pay equivalent to (75%) of his pay, if the competent medical authority decides that he is likely to recover.
The compensation for the wage that the employer is obligated to pay shall be deducted from the wage that the Social Insurance System is obligated to pay.
The worker may benefit from his accumulated annual leave in addition to his sick leave entitlement. He may also request that sick leave be converted into annual leave, if he has a balance that allows for this.
Article 132: The competent medical authority may prevent a worker who has been in contact with a patient with a contagious disease from performing his work for an appropriate period not exceeding three months. These diseases shall be determined by a decision from the Minister concerned with health affairs, and the decision shall also determine the competent medical authority referred to.
Article 133: Unfitness for service shall be proven medically in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
(Chapter Six) Workers’ Duties and Accountability
Article 134: The worker must do the following:
1- To perform the duties assigned to him personally with accuracy and honesty, in accordance with what is specified by the law, work regulations, and individual and collective work contracts, and to complete them within the specified time, and to exercise the care of an ordinary person.
2- To carry out the employer’s orders and instructions regarding the implementation of duties that fall within the scope of the work assigned to him, if these orders and instructions do not contain anything that violates the contract, law, regulations, or public morals, and their implementation does not expose him to danger.
3- To adhere to work hours and follow the established procedures in the event of absence from work or violation of work schedules.
4- To preserve the tools, equipment, documents or any other items that the employer hands over to him, and to carry out all necessary work to ensure their safety, and he is obligated to exercise the care of a normal person in this regard.
5- To treat the employer’s clients well.
6- To respect his superiors and colleagues at work, and to cooperate with them in a way that achieves the interest of the establishment in which he works.
7- To maintain the dignity of work and follow proper behavior.
8- To take into account the systems in place to maintain the safety and security of the facility.
9- To maintain work secrets, and not to disclose work-related information if it is confidential in nature, or in accordance with written instructions issued by the employer.
10- To notify the employer of the correct information related to his place of residence, his marital status, his position regarding military service, and other information that laws or regulations require to be included in his personal record, and of any change that occurs in any of the previous information within the specified dates.
11- To follow the systems established by the employer to develop and enhance his skills and experience professionally and culturally, or to qualify him to perform work that is consistent with, or compatible with, his work and the technical development within the facility, in cooperation with the relevant labor union organization.
Article 135: Without prejudice to the provisions of Law No. 137 of 1958 regarding health precautions for the prevention of infectious diseases in the Egyptian territory, and taking into account the provisions of Articles 132 and 138 of this law, the worker is obligated to undergo medical tests for the use of narcotic substances or infectious diseases when the employer requests him to do so and at his expense, and the medical test is carried out at the General Authority for Health Insurance or the central laboratories of the Ministry of Health.
Medical tests for drug use and complaints thereof shall be conducted in accordance with the regulations, procedures and guarantees issued by a decision of the competent minister, provided that they include conducting an examination of the same sample on the same day it is taken. In the event of a difference in the results of the two examinations, a confirmatory analysis shall be conducted by either of the two parties referred to in the first paragraph of this article.
If the sample is confirmed positive, the worker will be referred to the competent labor court to take action.
In all cases, the employer is obligated to maintain confidentiality in conducting the medical examination and not to disclose the worker’s health status based on these tests.
Article 136: The worker is prohibited from performing the following tasks, either by himself or through others:
1- Keeping for himself any paper or document related to the work, or any electronic data or any electronic security means related to the work, whether by himself, or by enabling others to obtain any of them or any information related to the work.
2- Working for others, whether for a wage or without a wage, if doing this work would impair his proper performance of his work or enable or help others to learn the secrets of the establishment or compete with the employer.
3- Practicing an activity similar to the activity practiced by the employer during the employment relationship or participating in such an activity, whether as a partner or worker.
4- Borrowing from the employer’s clients, or from those who practice an activity similar to that practiced by the employer. This prohibition does not apply to borrowing from banks or other entities licensed to do so.
5- Requesting or accepting gifts, rewards, commissions, sums of money, or other things in any capacity in connection with the performance of his duties without the employer’s approval.
6- Collecting cash or in-kind donations, distributing leaflets, collecting signatures, or organizing meetings within the workplace without the employer’s written consent, taking into account the provisions of the Trade Union Organizations Law and the protection of the right to union organization referred to.
Article 137: Every employer who employs ten or more workers shall prepare a list of rules for organizing work according to the nature of the activity, provided that it includes in particular the systems of promotion, transfer, wages, violations that constitute a departure from the requirements of the job duty, and disciplinary penalties, within sixty days from the start of the establishment’s work or the date of the availability of this quorum, or the entry into force of this law, as the case may be. He shall submit a copy of the list to the competent administrative authority for review and approval. The competent administrative authority shall seek the opinion of the competent labor union organization, which must express its opinion to the competent administrative authority within a period not exceeding fifteen days from the date of its receipt of the list, otherwise this shall be considered as approval of the list. If the competent administrative authority does not approve or object to the list within thirty days from the date of its receipt, the list shall be considered effective.
The employer must post this regulation in a visible place in the facility, its branches and work sites.
The competent minister may issue a decision on the general rules of this regulation.
Article 138: The act for which the worker may be held accountable for disciplinary action must be related to the work. The penalties list shall specify the violations and the penalties prescribed for them, in accordance with what is stipulated in Article (139) of this law and in a manner that ensures that the penalty is proportional to the violation.
No disciplinary penalty may be imposed on the worker after thirty days have passed from the date of completion of the investigation into the violation.
Article 139: The disciplinary penalties that may be imposed on the worker in accordance with the regulations governing work and penalties in the facility are:
1- Written warning.
2- Deduction from the basic salary.
3- Postponing the due date of the annual bonus for a period not exceeding three months.
4- Deprivation of part of the annual bonus, not exceeding half of it.
5- Postponing promotion when due for a period not exceeding one year.
6- Reducing the basic salary by a maximum bonus amount.
7- Demotion to a position in the next lower grade, without reducing wages.
8- Dismissal from service in accordance with the provisions of this law.
Article 140: The employer may not impose more than one penalty for a single violation. He may also not combine deducting part of the worker’s wages in application of the provisions of Article (139) of this law with any financial penalty, if what must be deducted exceeds the wages of five days in one month.
Article 141: A penalty may not be imposed on a worker unless he has been informed in writing of what has been attributed to him, his statements have been heard, his defense has been investigated, and this has been recorded in a report deposited in his personal file, provided that the investigation begins within a maximum of seven days from the date of discovery of the violation and does not exceed three months from the date of the start of the investigation. Three more months may be added if new facts or documents are revealed during the investigation. The trade union organization to which the worker belongs may delegate a representative to attend the investigation.
In the case of violations punishable by a warning or a deduction from the basic wage not exceeding one day’s wage, the investigation may be conducted verbally, provided that its contents are recorded in the decision issued imposing the penalty.
In all cases, the decision to impose a penalty must be reasoned.
Article 142: The establishment’s legal affairs department is responsible for investigating the worker. In the event of its absence, the employer may assign the investigation of the violation to another person with experience or one of the establishment’s employees, provided that the job level of the investigator is not less than the level of the worker being investigated.
Article 143: The employer may not impose a penalty of deduction on the worker for a single violation of more than five days of basic wages, nor may he deduct from this wage more than five days’ wages in one month to cover the penalties he imposes.
If the deduction is determined as a specific percentage of the wage, it shall be deemed to mean the worker’s basic daily wage.
Article 144: The penalty may be increased if the worker commits a new violation of the same type as the violation for which he was previously punished, provided that this violation occurred within one year from the date on which the worker was notified of the imposition of the previous penalty.
Article 145: The employer may suspend the worker from work temporarily by written decision for a period not exceeding sixty days, with full payment of his wages, in the following cases:
1- If the worker is referred for investigation due to a violation he committed within the workplace, and the interest of the investigation requires it.
2- If the worker is accused of committing a felony or misdemeanor that violates honor, trust, or public morals, or any other misdemeanor within the workplace.
3- If the employer requests the competent labor court to dismiss the worker from service.
Article 146: The worker may appeal the decision to suspend him from work issued in accordance with Clauses (1, 2) of Article (145) of this Law by means of a petition submitted to the judge of urgent matters at the competent labor court, within three days from the date of his notification or knowledge of the issuance of the decision being appealed.
The judge must decide on this grievance no later than the day following its submission. If he rules that the suspension decision is invalid, he shall order his return to work.
Article 147: The employer may request the judge of urgent matters at the competent labor court to extend the period of suspension from work for one or more periods, with payment of half the worker’s wages, ten days before the end of the suspension period.
The judge of urgent matters must decide on this request before the end of the suspension period. If he does not issue a decision within this period and the worker does not return to work, the worker’s suspension will continue with full pay until the request is decided. If he rules to reject the request, he will be returned to work immediately after the end of his last suspension period.
If the suspension is for one of the reasons mentioned in Clause (2) of Article (145) of this Law, and the authority competent to charge decides to close the investigation, or issues an order that there is no reason to file a criminal case, or the worker is brought to criminal trial and acquitted, he must be returned to his work with the payment of any entitlements that were not paid to him for the period of suspension, otherwise his failure to return to work shall be considered arbitrary dismissal.
Article 148: The competent labor court shall have the authority to impose the penalty of dismissal from work, and the employer or his authorized representative shall impose the remaining disciplinary penalties. The facility manager shall have the authority to impose the penalties of written warning and deduction from wages for a period not exceeding three days.
In all cases, the worker may not be dismissed unless he commits a serious error. The following cases are considered serious errors:
1- If it is proven that the worker impersonated a false identity or submitted forged documents.
2- If it is proven that the worker committed an error that resulted in serious damages to the employer, provided that the employer informs the competent authorities of the incident or accident within twenty-four hours of his knowledge of its occurrence.
3- If it is proven that the worker repeatedly does not comply with the instructions that must be followed for the safety of the workers or the facility, provided that these instructions are written and posted in a visible place, despite being warned in writing to comply with them.
4- If it is proven that the worker disclosed the secrets of the establishment in which he works, and this led to causing serious damage to the establishment.
5- If it is proven that the worker is competing with the employer in the same activity.
6- If it is proven that the worker is clearly drunk or under the influence of a narcotic substance during working hours.
7- If it is proven that the worker assaulted the employer or the general manager, and also if he committed a serious assault on one of his superiors during work, or because of it.
In all cases, dismissal from service may only be in accordance with the provisions of this law.
Article 149: Without prejudice to the right to litigation, if an individual dispute arises between the employer and the worker regarding the application of the provisions of this law, or any of the relevant laws, either of them shall have the right, within ten days from the date of the dispute’s emergence, to request its amicable settlement by a committee formed as follows:
1- Director of the Labor Directorate, or his representative (Chairman).
2- The worker, or his representative (member).
3- The employer, or his representative (member).
The committee chairman may seek the assistance of experts depending on the topic presented.
The committee must complete its work within twenty-one days from the date of submitting the request. If an amicable settlement is reached, the committee chairman shall record this in a report signed by both parties to the dispute, which shall be attached to the minutes of the session in which it was held, and referred to the judge of urgent matters at the competent labor court. It shall be enforceable by the order he issues, and the dispute shall be concluded within the limits of what was reached by the amicable settlement.
The competent minister shall issue a decision regarding the committee’s work system and the forms and records it shall use.
Article 150: If the dispute is not settled amicably, the head of the committee shall prepare a report on what has been done, signed by him and both parties to the dispute, and record the work done, the documents received by the committee, and its opinion on the subject of the dispute. It shall be referred to the competent labor court upon the request of either party, and the court clerk shall set a session to consider the dispute within a period not exceeding twenty days from the date of receipt of the request, and he shall notify both parties to the dispute of it.
If the subject of the dispute relates to the dismissal of the worker, the court must decide on this request urgently within three months from the date of the first session. If it finds from the appearance of the papers that the worker’s request is valid, it shall oblige the employer to pay the worker an amount equivalent to his wage from the date of dismissal, and up to a maximum of six months, and its decision shall be final.
The amounts collected by the worker in implementation of the court’s decision shall be deducted from the amount of compensation awarded or any other amounts due to him from the employer, taking into account the provisions of Article (143) of this law.
If the worker was dismissed due to union activity, the court shall order his reinstatement to his job if he requests it.
Article 151: If the worker, through his own fault or in connection with his work, causes the loss or damage of equipment, machinery, raw materials, products, or other things owned by the employer, or that were in his custody, he shall be obligated to pay the value of what was lost or damaged.
After conducting the investigation and notifying the worker, the employer may begin deducting the aforementioned amount from his wages, provided that the amount deducted for this purpose does not exceed five days’ wages per month.
The worker may file a grievance before the competent labor court against the employer’s assessment in accordance with the periods and procedures specified in this law.
If the employer is not awarded the amount he estimated for the damage, or is awarded less than that, he must return what was deducted without justification within seven days from the date of the ruling.
The employer may not collect his dues by deduction in accordance with the provisions of this article, in excess of two months’ wages.
Article 152: The provisions of this chapter shall not prejudice the guarantees stipulated - in the aforementioned Law on Trade Union Organizations and Protection of the Right to Organize a Trade Union - for members of the boards of directors of trade union organizations.
Article 153: The employer must keep a paper or electronic record of the financial penalties imposed on workers, stating the reason for their imposition, the worker’s name and the amount of his wage, and allocate a special account for their proceeds to be spent on the facility’s workers for social, cultural and sports purposes. These amounts may not be spent to fulfill the obligations stipulated in Article (272) of this law, and the proceeds of these funds shall be distributed equally upon the liquidation of the facility among the workers present at the time of liquidation.
(Chapter Seven) Termination of the individual employment relationship
Article 154: Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 87, 88, and 95 of this Law, a fixed-term employment contract shall terminate upon the expiration of its term.
If the contract is concluded or renewed for a period exceeding five years, the worker may terminate it without compensation upon the expiration of five years, after notifying the employer three months prior to termination.
The provisions of the second paragraph of this article shall apply to cases where the worker terminates the contract after the expiry of the aforementioned period.
If the termination is by the employer, the worker is entitled to a bonus equivalent to one month’s wages for each year of service.
Article 155: If an employment contract is concluded to complete a specific job, the contract ends with the completion of this job, and it may be renewed by express agreement between the two parties for another similar job or jobs.
If the contract concluded to complete a specific task ends and both parties continue to implement it, this is considered a renewal by them of this contract, or other similar tasks.
If the completion of the original work, or the work for which it has been renewed, takes more than five years, the worker may not terminate the contract before the completion of this work.
Article 156: Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 165 of this Law, if the employment contract is of indefinite duration, either party may terminate it, provided that it notifies the other party in writing three months prior to termination.
Article 157: Without prejudice to the provisions of Article (235) of this Law, and taking into account the provisions of Articles (158 to 175) of this Law, employers and workers may not terminate an indefinite-term employment contract, except for a legitimate and sufficient justification.
In all cases, termination must be made at a time appropriate to the work conditions.
Article 158: The notice of termination may not be suspended on a suspensive or resolutory condition.
The notice period shall start from the date of receipt.
Article 159: The notification may not be given to the worker during his vacations, and the notification period shall not be calculated except from the day following the end of the vacation. If the worker obtains sick leave during the notification period, the validity of this period shall be suspended and its validity shall not begin again except from the day following the end of that vacation.
Article 160: The employment contract shall remain in effect throughout the notice period, and both parties shall be obligated to implement all obligations arising therefrom. The contract shall terminate upon the expiry of this period.
Article 161: It is not permissible to agree to exempt from the notice requirement or reduce its period, but it is permissible to agree to increase this period.
The employer may exempt the worker from observing all or part of the notice period in the event that the contract is terminated by the worker.
Article 162: If the notice of termination is from the employer, the worker has the right to be absent for a full day per week or eight hours during the week, in order to look for another job, and he is entitled to his wages for the day or hours of absence.
The worker has the right to determine the day or hours of absence, provided that he notifies the employer of this at least one day prior to the absence.
Article 163: The employer may exempt the worker from work during the notice period, while considering the worker’s service period as continuing until the end of that period, with all the consequences resulting from that, especially the worker’s entitlement to his wage for this period.
Article 164: If the employer terminates an indefinite-term employment contract without notice or before the expiry of the notice period, he is obligated to pay the worker an amount equal to his wage for the period of the notice period, or the remaining part thereof.
In this case, the grace period, or the remaining part thereof, is counted as part of the worker’s service period, and the employer continues to bear the burdens and obligations arising from that. However, if the termination is issued by the worker, the contract ends from the time he leaves work.
Article 165: If the employer terminates an indefinite-term contract for an unlawful reason, the worker shall have the right to compensation for any harm he has suffered as a result of this termination, amounting to no less than two months’ wages for each year of service. This shall not prejudice the worker’s right to claim the rest of his rights stipulated by law.
The following are considered illegitimate reasons:
1- The worker’s membership in a trade union organization, or his participation in a trade union activity within the scope of this law.
2- Exercising the capacity of labor commissioner, or having previously exercised this capacity, or seeking to do so.
3- Filing a complaint, filing a lawsuit, or participating in it against the employer, complaining of his violation of laws, regulations, or employment contracts.
4- Signing the seizure of the worker’s dues under the employer’s hand.
5- The worker shall use his right to the leave granted to him in accordance with the provisions of this law.
6- Color, gender, marital status, family responsibilities, pregnancy, religion or political opinion.
Article 166: A worker shall be deemed to have resigned from work if he is absent without a legitimate justification for more than twenty intermittent days during one year, or more than ten consecutive days, provided that this is preceded by a notice by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt from the employer, or his representative, to the worker after his absence for ten days in the first case, and five days in the second case.
Article 167: The worker may submit his resignation in writing to the employer, provided that it is signed by the worker or his special agent and approved by the competent administrative authority.
The worker’s service shall not end except by the decision issued to accept the resignation. The worker must continue to work until his employer decides on the resignation within ten days from the date of its submission, otherwise it shall be deemed accepted upon the expiry of this period. The resigning worker or his special representative may withdraw the resignation within ten days from the date of notification of the employer’s acceptance of the resignation, provided that this withdrawal is in writing and approved by the competent administrative authority. In this case, the resignation shall be deemed null and void.
Article 168: The worker may terminate the contract if the employer fails to fulfill any of his essential obligations arising from this law, the individual or collective employment contract, or the establishment’s bylaws, or if the worker or one of his relatives is assaulted by the employer or his representative. Termination in these cases shall be deemed to be an unjustified termination of the contract by the employer.
Article 169: The employment contract ends with the death of the worker, in fact or by law, in accordance with the established legal rules. The employment contract does not end with the death of the employer, unless it was concluded for considerations related to the person of the employer, or his activity that ceases with his death.
If the worker dies while in service, the employer shall pay his family the equivalent of two months’ wages according to the last wage he received to cover funeral expenses. This shall be paid to the widow. If there is no widow, it shall be paid to the eldest son, or to any person who proves that he will bear the funeral expenses, with a minimum of one thousand pounds.
A grant equivalent to the worker’s wage for the month in which he died and the two months following it shall be paid, in addition to the wage due for the days worked during the month of death. It shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
The employer shall bear the expenses of preparing and transporting the body to the place from which the worker was brought, or to the place to which his family requests it be transported.
Article 170: Without prejudice to the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law, the employment contract shall terminate if the worker is totally unable to perform his work, regardless of the cause of this incapacity.
If the worker’s disability is partial, the employment relationship will not end due to this disability unless it is proven that the employer has no other work that the worker can perform satisfactorily.
If it is proven that this other job exists, the employer must, upon the worker’s written request, transfer him to that job.
Article 171: It is not permissible to set a retirement age less than sixty years.
The employer may terminate the contract if the worker reaches the age of sixty, unless the contract is for a fixed term and its term extends beyond that age, in which case the contract shall not end until its term has expired.
The provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law shall apply with regard to the age of entitlement to a pension.
Article 172: The worker is entitled, for the period of his work after the age of sixty, to a reward of half a month’s wages for each of the first five years of service, and one month’s wages for each of the following years, if he does not have rights for this period, in accordance with the provisions of old-age, disability, and death insurance stipulated in the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
This bonus is due for years of service prior to the age of eighteen, for both trainees and workers upon reaching this age.
The bonus is calculated on the basis of the last wage received by the worker or apprentice, as the case may be.
The bonus shall be disbursed in the event of death, in accordance with the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
Article 173: The employer is prohibited from terminating the worker’s contract due to the worker’s illness, unless he has exhausted his sick leave and the remainder of his accumulated annual leave due to him, without prejudice to the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law.
The employer must notify the worker of his desire to terminate the contract fifteen days before the worker has exhausted his leave.
If the worker recovers before the notification is complete, the employer is prohibited from terminating the contract due to the worker’s illness.
Article 174: The employer may terminate the employment contract, even if it is for a fixed term or concluded to complete a specific job, if the worker is finally sentenced to a felony or a freedom-restricting penalty for a crime affecting honor or trustworthiness, unless the court orders the suspension of the execution of the penalty.
Article 175: The employer is obligated to enable the worker to view his career progression and wage components, and to give the worker, upon his request and without charge, a certificate specifying his experience and professional competence, during the validity of the contract or upon its termination.
The employer is obligated to provide the worker, upon termination of the employment relationship, with a certificate stating the date of his joining the job, the date of termination, the type of work he was performing, and the benefits he was receiving. The certificate may, upon the worker’s request, include the amount of wages he was receiving and the reason for the termination of the employment relationship, within fifteen days from the date of its request.
He is also obligated to return to the worker, upon termination of the employment relationship, any papers, certificates, tools, or evidence of his release that he has deposited with him, immediately upon their request.
Chapter Two: Specialized Labor Courts
Article 176: A court called the “Labor Court” shall be established within the jurisdiction of each court of first instance. Specialized appellate circuits shall also be established within the jurisdiction of each court of appeal to consider appeals brought before it against rulings issued by the labor court.
The locations of labor courts shall be designated by a decision issued by the Minister of Justice. When necessary and for considerations he deems appropriate, such as location conditions or labor density, and based on a request from the president of the competent primary court, he may designate other locations to hear labor cases within the jurisdiction of the partial courts affiliated with the primary court.
Its judges shall be judges of the courts of first instance and the courts of appeal, and their selection shall be issued by a decision of the Supreme Judicial Council.
Article (177): The Labor Court referred to in Article (176) of this Law, and no other, shall have jurisdiction to consider disputes arising from the application of the provisions of the laws and regulations regulating all labor relations, as well as lawsuits related to the insurance rights of workers and their beneficiaries, and labor union organizations and their formations, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the State Council courts.
Article 178: Each division of the Labor Court shall consist of three judges from the primary courts, at least one of whom shall be of the rank of Chief of Category (A).
Each of the specialized appellate circuits shall consist of three appeal judges, at least one of whom shall hold the rank of President of the Court of Appeal.
Article 179: The General Assembly of the Court of First Instance shall appoint, at the beginning of each judicial year, a judge with the rank of Chief of a Category (A) Court to rule temporarily, without prejudice to the right itself, in urgent matters in which there is a risk of lapse of time, and to issue orders on petitions, temporary orders, and performance orders in those matters, regardless of the value of the right subject to the request, which falls under the jurisdiction of the labor courts.
Article 180: Appeals against rulings and grievances against orders issued by the judge of urgent matters shall be filed before the specialized labor courts and no other.
Article 181: Labor court circuits shall have jurisdiction to consider crimes arising from the application of the provisions of laws and regulations regulating labor relations, the insurance rights of workers and their beneficiaries, and labor union organizations and their formations. Appeals thereof shall be before the specialized appellate circuits.
Article 182: It is not permissible to appeal the judgments issued by the specialized appellate circuits in crimes arising from the application of the provisions of the laws and regulations regulating labor relations, the insurance rights of workers and their beneficiaries, and labor union organizations and their formations, except in cases in which judgments were issued with a penalty restricting freedom.
Article 183: The Labor Court shall have jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes regarding the temporary and substantive implementation of the rulings and orders issued by it, or those issued in accordance with Article (179) of this law. The rulings issued by it may be appealed before the specialized appellate circuits.
The heads of the departments of the Labour Court are responsible for issuing decisions and orders related to implementation.
The court itself has jurisdiction to adjudicate grievances against these decisions and orders, provided that the person who issued the decision or order being appealed against is not among its members.
Article 184: A special clerk's office for the court and a special department for implementing the rulings and decisions issued by it or its appellate divisions shall be established within the jurisdiction of the labor court. The president of the competent court of first instance shall issue a decision regulating its work.
Article 185: A labor legal assistance office shall be established at the headquarters of every court of first instance, as well as at every other headquarters where the labor court is held, which shall be entrusted with everything that would assist litigants in filing their labor lawsuits in the correct legal manner. All other services of this office to litigants shall be optional and without charge.
The Minister of Justice shall issue a decision to form these offices, determine their headquarters, and determine what is necessary for the proper functioning of their work.
Article 186: One or more chambers shall be formed at the Court of Cassation, with exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate appeals against rulings issued by labor courts.
One or more chambers shall be established at the Court of Cassation to examine such appeals. If it finds that the appeal is impermissible or unacceptable for the reasons stated in Article (263) of the Civil and Commercial Procedures Law issued by Law No. 13 of 1968, it shall order its non-acceptance by a reasoned decision. If it finds that the appeal is worthy of consideration, it shall refer it to the competent chamber. The chambers mentioned in the second paragraph of this Article shall be composed of three judges of the court with at least the rank of Vice President. The appeal shall be presented to these chambers immediately after the Cassation Prosecution submits a memorandum with its opinion.
In any case, the decision issued by the Appeals Review Department may not be appealed in any way.
As an exception to the provisions of the second paragraph of Article (269) of the aforementioned Civil and Commercial Procedures Law, if the Court of Cassation rules to overturn the appealed ruling, it shall rule on the subject of the lawsuit, even if the appeal is for the first time.
Article 187: In appealing the rulings of labor courts, the provisions contained in the Criminal Procedure Law, the cases and procedures for appeal before the Court of Cassation, civil and commercial litigation, and evidence in civil and commercial matters shall be followed, as appropriate, in matters for which no special provision is made in this law.
Chapter Three: Collective Labor Relations
(Chapter One) Social Dialogue
Article 188: A council called the “Supreme Council for Social Consultation” shall be established in the competent ministry. It shall have a public legal personality and aim to enhance cooperation, consultation and dialogue between the three parties to work on all labor issues, in a manner that achieves balance and stability in individual and collective labor relations.
Article 189: The Supreme Council for Social Consultation shall be responsible for the following:
1- Drawing up national policies for tripartite consultation and social dialogue, and creating a work environment that encourages consultation, cooperation, and information exchange between the three working parties, in accordance with the state’s general policy.
2- Expressing an opinion on draft laws related to labor, social protection, labor union organizations, industrial relations and related laws.
3- Expressing an opinion on international and Arab labor agreements before ratification, and preparing studies analyzing the necessary legislative and executive gaps for them.
4- Proposing appropriate solutions to avoid collective labor disputes at the national level, especially in economic crises that lead to some projects stopping work completely or partially.
5- Taking appropriate measures to enhance trust and understanding between the two parties to the work relationship at all levels.
6- Proposing the necessary means and procedures to support national and economic projects that aim to create job opportunities.
7- Preparing the necessary studies and research in labor economics, including industrial and professional relations and vocational training, and supporting the competitiveness of the national economy.
8- Considering proposals or topics discussed in the International Labour Conference, the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization, or the supervisory bodies of the Organization, and topics included in reports submitted to the International Labour Office, or matters addressed by other regional and international tripartite conferences.
9- Consultation on the draft periodic government reports related to international labor agreements.
10- Expressing an opinion on the topics presented to him by the relevant ministry.
Article 190: The Council shall be formed by a decision of the Prime Minister, headed by the competent minister, and shall include in its membership representatives of the relevant ministries and authorities, and representatives of the relevant employers’ organizations and the relevant labor union organizations, nominated by their organizations equally between them, provided that, when nominating, representation of all levels of the relevant trade union organizations and representation of women shall be taken into account by no less than one-third for each of the three parties, unless this is not possible.
Representatives of the National Council for Women, the National Council for Persons with Disabilities, the National Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and the National Council for Human Rights attend the Council's meetings, without having a vote in the deliberations. The Council may invite any expert or specialist to attend its sessions, depending on the topics discussed, without having a vote in the deliberations. The decision shall determine its work system and other powers.
Article 191: The Council's term is four years, starting from the day following the issuance of the Prime Minister's decision regarding its formation. It shall be reconstituted at least within the last sixty days before the end of its term. If a member's seat becomes vacant during the term for any reason, the entity whose representative's seat has become vacant shall nominate another representative to complete his term.
Article 192: The Council may establish branches in the governorates to carry out its duties at the governorate level, headed by the Director of the Labor Directorate, and with membership of representatives of the relevant labor union organizations and the relevant employers’ organizations equally among them. It may also form specialized committees from among its members or from others to carry out the tasks it assigns to them, provided that the tripartite representation of the Council is taken into account.
It may also establish specialized units to conduct the research and studies necessary for its work, either alone or in cooperation with accredited research centers and university research centers.
The Council issues the financial and administrative regulations necessary to organize the work of its branches, specialized committees, and specialized research units.
Article 193: The Council may accept gifts, grants and donations after presenting them to its Board of Directors and obtaining the approval of at least two-thirds of its members, and in accordance with the rules and procedures established by law.
The Council shall have a special account within the unified treasury account at the Central Bank. It may open an account with one of the banks registered with the Central Bank after the approval of the Minister of Finance. Its surplus funds shall be carried over from one fiscal year to another. It may invest its funds in a secure investment, and its account shall be subject to the oversight of the Central Auditing Organization.
(Chapter Two) Collective Bargaining
Article 194: Collective bargaining shall be conducted freely and voluntarily within a framework of balance between the interests of both parties in order to:
1- Improving working terms and conditions, and operating conditions.
2- Cooperation between the two parties to the employment relationship to achieve social development for the facility’s workers.
3- Settlement of collective disputes between workers and employers.
Article 195: Collective bargaining shall be at the level of the establishment or its branches, the profession, the industry, the regional level, or the national level.
Article 196: If a collective labor dispute arises, the two parties must enter into collective negotiations to settle it amicably.
The parties to the collective bargaining are obligated to provide the requested data, information and documents related to the subject of the dispute, and to follow the bargaining procedures.
If one party refuses to initiate collective bargaining procedures, the other party may request the competent administrative authority to initiate negotiation procedures by inviting the employers’ organization, the relevant trade union organization, or the labor commissioner, as the case may be, to intervene and persuade the refusing party to change its position.
Article 197: If collective bargaining results in an agreement between the two parties, their agreement shall be recorded in a collective labor agreement in accordance with the terms and rules specified in this law.
Article 198: During negotiations, the two parties to the employment relationship are prohibited from taking measures or issuing decisions related to the topics under negotiation, except in cases of necessity and urgency, and it is required that the measure or decision in this case be temporary.
(Chapter Three) Collective Labor Agreements
Article (199): Without prejudice to the provisions of the Trade Union Organizations Law and the Protection of the Right to Union Organization referred to, the conclusion of the collective agreement shall be for a period not exceeding three years, or for the period necessary to implement a specific project. If the period in the latter case exceeds three years, the two parties to the agreement must negotiate to renew it or to amend its terms in light of emerging economic or social circumstances, and the provisions of Article (202) of this law shall be followed with regard to renewal.
Article 200: Any provision in the collective labor agreement that is in violation of the provisions of this law or relevant laws shall be null and void.
In the event of a conflict between a provision in the individual employment contract and a provision in the agreement, the provision that achieves the greatest benefit for the worker shall apply.
Article 201: The collective labor agreement must be written in the Arabic language, and a copy thereof may be written in a foreign language. In the event of a conflict or dispute, the text written in the Arabic language shall prevail.
Article 202: The two parties to the collective labor agreement must pursue collective bargaining to renew it three months before its expiration. If the last period expires without an agreement on renewal, the agreement shall be extended for a period of three months and negotiations shall continue to renew it. If two months pass without reaching an agreement, either party to the agreement may submit the matter to the competent administrative authority to take the necessary measures to follow mediation procedures in accordance with the provisions of this law.
Article (203): The collective labor agreement shall be effective and binding on its two parties after signing it, and it must be deposited with the competent administrative authority to be recorded within thirty days from the date of signing it in a paper or electronic register prepared for this purpose. The competent administrative authority may object to it if one of the cases stipulated in Article (200) of this law is met, and the two parties to the agreement shall be notified of the objection and its reasons, by registered letter accompanied by a receipt.
If the aforementioned period expires and the competent administrative authority does not object, it must carry out the registration in accordance with the previous provisions.
Article (204): If the competent administrative authority refuses to register the agreement in accordance with the provisions of Article (203) of this law, either party to the agreement may resort to the judge of urgent matters at the competent labor court in whose jurisdiction the workplace is located, in accordance with the usual procedures for filing a lawsuit, within thirty days from the date of notification of the objection. If it decides to register the agreement, the competent administrative authority must register it in the special register for that purpose.
Article 205: The employer is obligated to place the collective labor agreement in a visible place in the workplace, including its text, its signatories, and the date of its submission to the competent administrative authority.
Article 206: Joining the agreement shall take place after its registration with the competent administrative authority for workers and their trade union organizations, and employers and their organizations who are not parties to the collective agreement, based on an agreement between the two parties wishing to join and without the need for the approval of the two original parties to the agreement, by a request signed by the two parties submitted to the competent administrative authority.
Article (207): The competent administrative authority shall be obligated to note on the margin of the register referred to in Article (203) of this law any renewal, accession, or amendment to the collective labor agreement within fifteen days from the date of its occurrence.
Article 208: The two parties to the collective labor agreement are obligated to implement it in a manner consistent with what is required by good faith, and to refrain from performing any act or procedure that would disrupt the implementation of its provisions.
Article 209: If exceptional, unexpected circumstances arise and their occurrence results in one party’s implementation of the agreement, or of one of its provisions, becoming burdensome, the two parties must pursue the path of collective negotiation to discuss these circumstances and reach an agreement that achieves a balance between their interests.
If the two parties do not reach an agreement, they must refer the matter to the competent administrative authority to take the necessary measures to follow conciliation, mediation and arbitration procedures in accordance with the provisions of this law.
Article 210: Each party to the collective labor agreement, as well as any interested party from among the workers or employers, may request a ruling to implement any of its provisions, or to provide compensation for non-implementation or violation thereof.
Compensation shall not be awarded to the relevant trade union organization or employers’ organization unless the action that resulted in the damage requiring compensation was issued by the organization’s board of directors or its legal representative.
Article 211: The trade union organization and the employers’ organization that is a party to the collective agreement may file, on behalf of any of its members, all lawsuits arising from a breach of the provisions of the agreement.
The member in whose favor the lawsuit was filed by the organization may intervene in it, and he may also file this lawsuit independently from it.
Article 212: Without prejudice to the right to litigation, disputes arising from the collective agreement shall be subject to the procedures agreed upon by the two parties, taking into account the provisions contained in Chapter Three of this book.
(Chapter Four) Collective Labor Disputes
Section One: General Provisions
Article 213: Without prejudice to the right to litigation, the provisions of this chapter shall apply to every dispute related to the terms, conditions, or operating provisions of work that arises between an employer or a group of employers, or their organizations, and all workers or a group of them or their organizations.
Article 214: If one month passes from the date of the start of negotiations without reaching an agreement, the two parties, or one of them, may resort to the competent administrative authority to begin conciliation procedures.
The second branch is reconciliation
Article 215: The competent administrative authority shall set a session for conciliation of the dispute within a period not exceeding five days from the date of submission of the request to it, and the two parties to the dispute shall be notified of the date set at least three days in advance.
The competent minister shall issue a decision on the procedures and rules for reconciliation.
Article 216: If the two parties to the dispute agree to settle it amicably in accordance with the provisions of this section, the agreement shall be drawn up and signed by them in a collective labor agreement, and the procedures stipulated in this law shall be taken in this regard, and they shall be binding on them.
Article (217): Taking into account the provisions of the Arbitration Law in Civil and Commercial Matters issued by Law No. 27 of 1994, if the dispute is not settled within twenty-one days from the date of commencement of conciliation, the two parties may resort to the competent administrative authority to take measures to refer the dispute to the Mediation and Arbitration Center stipulated in Article (218) of this Law.
The third branch is the Mediation and Arbitration Center.
Article (218): A center called the “Mediation and Arbitration Center” shall be established in the competent ministry. It shall have a legal personality and be affiliated with the competent minister. It shall consist of two departments: the Mediation Department and the Arbitration Department.
It shall have an executive head whose appointment and financial treatment shall be determined by a decision issued by the Prime Minister based on the nomination of the competent minister, for a period of three years, renewable.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision specifying the administrative and financial structure of the Mediation and Arbitration Centre, its operating system, and the fees set for its services, which shall not exceed fifty thousand pounds, and the cases of exemption therefrom.
The Mediation and Arbitration Center shall abide by the provisions of this Law and all decisions and regulations issued in implementation thereof, and the guarantees and basic principles of litigation in the Civil and Commercial Procedures Law. In matters not specifically provided for in this Law and the Mediation and Arbitration Center’s regulations, the provisions of the Arbitration Law in Civil and Commercial Matters referred to shall apply.
Article 219: The Mediation and Arbitration Center shall prepare a list of mediators and a list of arbitrators who meet the conditions stipulated in this law, and each of them shall take the following oath before the head of the center: “I swear by God Almighty that I will perform my duties with integrity, honesty, and truthfulness and that I will not disclose any work secrets that I become aware of by virtue of my duties.”
Article 220: As an exception to the provisions of Articles 221 and 226 of this law, the Mediation and Arbitration Center may seek assistance from members of judicial bodies and authorities after obtaining the approval of their special councils.
Article 221: The following conditions must be met by anyone registered on the list of brokers:
1- To have a high qualification.
2- To have a good reputation and conduct.
3- He must not have been previously convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving dishonor or dishonesty, unless his reputation has been restored.
4- Not to be an employee of the state’s administrative apparatus.
5- He must not have been previously dismissed through disciplinary action.
6- Spending the first training period on mediation work and its fields at the center.
7- Passing the test conducted by the Mediation and Arbitration Center with a score of no less than seventy percent.
Article 222: The two parties to the dispute may choose one of the mediators registered on the list within a maximum period of seven days from the date of submitting the mediation request.
If the aforementioned period expires and the two parties do not agree on the selection of a mediator, the Centre shall select the mediator within three days from the date of expiry of that period.
Article 223: The mediator's mission begins from the date the dispute is referred to him, and he must complete his mission within one month. The mediator has full powers to consider the dispute and is familiar with its elements. He may, in particular, hear both parties to the dispute, review the necessary documents, and request data and information that will assist him in performing his mission.
Article 224: Without prejudice to the provisions of Article (223) of this Law, either or both parties to the dispute have the right, within fifteen days, to request from the Mediation and Arbitration Center to replace the dispute mediator for one time. If the other party refuses to replace him, the Mediation and Arbitration Center must decide on this request within a period not exceeding two days. If a new mediator is chosen, his term of work shall be calculated from the date he assumes the task.
Article 225: The mediator must make every effort to bring the viewpoints of the two parties to the dispute closer together. If he is unable to achieve this, he must submit to the two parties in writing the recommendations he proposes to resolve the dispute.
If the two parties accept the recommendations presented by the mediator, this shall be documented in an agreement signed by the two parties and the mediator. This agreement shall become binding on the two parties within the limits of what was agreed upon, and this shall be documented in the paper or electronic record prepared for this purpose.
If the two parties do not accept these recommendations or some of them, the mediator will offer them arbitration. If they agree, the dispute will be referred to the Centre’s Arbitration Department.
In all cases, the dispute mediator must submit a report to the Mediation Department within five days from the date of completion of his mission, which includes a summary of the dispute, the papers and documents submitted by both parties, the recommendations, what was accepted by both parties, what was rejected and the reasons for the rejection.
Article 226: The following conditions must be met for anyone to be registered on the list of arbitrators:
1- He must have a law degree from an Egyptian university, or its equivalent.
2- To have a good reputation and conduct.
3- He must not have been previously convicted of a felony or misdemeanor involving dishonor or dishonesty, unless his reputation has been restored.
4- Not to be an employee of the state’s administrative apparatus.
5- He must not have been previously dismissed through disciplinary action.
6- Spending the first training period at the Mediation and Arbitration Center on arbitration work and its fields.
7- Passing the test conducted by the Mediation and Arbitration Center with a score of no less than seventy-five percent.
Article 227: The arbitration panel shall be formed by agreement of the two parties from one or more arbitrators, provided that the number is odd, to consider the existing dispute, within a period not exceeding fifteen days from the date of referral of the dispute to the arbitration department.
If the two parties to the arbitration do not agree on the selection of arbitrators within the period referred to in the first paragraph of this article, the Centre shall select the arbitrators in accordance with the regulations governing the Centre’s work.
Article 228: The two parties to the dispute shall sign the arbitration agreement, which shall contain the subject of the dispute, and the conditions and procedures under which the arbitration shall be conducted. In matters not included in the arbitration agreement, the provisions stipulated in the aforementioned Arbitration Law in Civil and Commercial Matters shall be followed.
Article 229: When deciding the dispute presented, the arbitrator or arbitrators must take into account the legislation in force within the country, ratified international agreements, principles of natural law, custom and social justice, in accordance with the prevailing economic and social situation in the area of the facility. The ruling shall be issued by a majority of votes in the event of multiple arbitrators.
The arbitrator or arbitrators must resolve the dispute within thirty days from the date of referral. The arbitration award shall be deemed final and enforceable after the competent labor court has issued an executive formula for it.
Article 230: One or more higher chambers shall be formed in the Arbitration Department to review the case, consisting of five arbitrators from those registered on its list, to appeal the rulings referred to in Article (229) of this law.
If the arbitration clause or agreement includes a two-level arbitration, the dispute shall be referred to that circuit within fifteen days from the date of issuance of the first-level ruling, and it must decide the dispute within forty-five days from the date of referral to it.
(Chapter Five) Strike and Lockout
Article 231: Workers have the right to strike to demand what they see as achieving their professional, economic and social interests, after exhausting the amicable settlement methods for disputes stipulated in this law. It shall be announced and organized through the relevant trade union organization or the labor commissioner within the limits of the controls and procedures stipulated in this law.
Article 232: The announcement of the strike must include notification to both the employer and the competent administrative authority at least ten days prior to the date set for the strike, by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, provided that the notification includes the reasons for the strike and its dates.
Article 233: Workers are prohibited from calling for or announcing a strike with the intent of amending a collective labor agreement during its validity period.
Article 234: It is prohibited to strike, call for it, or announce it in vital facilities that provide essential services to citizens, and the cessation of work in which would result in a breach of national security.
It is prohibited to call for or announce a strike in exceptional circumstances.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision specifying the vital facilities and the essential services they provide.
Article 235: A strike results in the suspension of obligations arising from the employment contract during the period of the strike.
Article 236: The employer has the right, for economic reasons, to completely or partially close the facility, or reduce its size or activity, which may affect the size of its workforce temporarily or permanently, in the circumstances, terms and procedures stipulated in this law.
Article (237): In applying the provisions of Article (236) of this law, the employer must submit a request to close the facility, or reduce its size or activity to a committee formed for this purpose. The request must include the reasons, conditions, terms and procedures on which it is based, and the numbers and categories of workers who will be laid off.
The committee must issue its reasoned decision within a maximum of forty-five days from the date of submission of the application. If the decision is issued to accept the application, a date for its implementation must be specified.
If the committee does not issue its decision within the aforementioned period, this shall be deemed an implicit approval of the closure under the terms, conditions, and procedures submitted by the employer. The concerned party may appeal the committee's decision before another committee formed for this purpose. Acceptance of the appeal shall result in the suspension of implementation of the committee's decision.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision to form each of the two committees referred to in this Article, specifying their jurisdictions, the entities represented in them, the procedures followed before them, and the dates and procedures for grievances, provided that their formation includes a representative of the relevant trade union organization and a representative of the relevant employers’ organization nominated by each of them.
Article 238: The employer shall notify the workers and the relevant trade union organization of the request submitted by him and of the decision issued to completely or partially close the facility, or to reduce its size or activity. This decision shall be implemented as of the date determined by the committee that considered the request or the grievance, as the case may be.
Article 239: In the event of partial closure or reduction in the size or activity of the facility, if the collective agreement in force in the facility does not include objective criteria for selecting the workers to be laid off, the employer must consult in this regard with the relevant trade union organization, after the decision is issued and before implementation.
Seniority, family burdens, age, and the professional abilities and skills of workers are among the criteria that can be used as guidance in this regard.
The competent minister shall issue a decision on the objective criteria for selecting the workers to be laid off, in consultation with workers’ and employers’ organizations.
Article 240: The employer is prohibited from submitting a request for the total or partial closure of the facility, or reducing its size or activity during the stages of settling collective labor disputes. He is also prohibited from submitting this request due to or during a workers’ strike.
Article 241: Without prejudice to the provisions of Article (238) of this Law, in cases where the employer has the right to terminate the employment contract for economic reasons, he may, instead of using this right, amend the terms of the contract temporarily, and he may, in particular, assign the worker work that was not agreed upon, even if it differs from his original work, and he may also reduce the worker’s wage by no less than the minimum wage.
If the employer amends the terms of the contract in accordance with the first paragraph of this article, the worker may terminate the employment contract without being obligated to provide notice. In this case, termination shall be considered a justified termination on the part of the employer and the worker.
In all cases, the worker is entitled to a bonus equivalent to one month’s wages for each of the first five years of service and one and a half months for each year beyond that.
Book Four: Occupational Safety and Health and Securing the Work Environment
Article 242: This book regulates the provisions and controls for preventing accidents and health damages resulting from work or related to it, or occurring during it, or because of it, in order to limit the risks and their causes involved in the work environment.
Article 243: In applying the provisions of this book, an establishment means every project or facility owned or managed by a person of public or private law.
Article 244: The provisions of this book apply to all work sites, establishments and their branches, regardless of their type or affiliation, whether land, sea or air.
It also applies to all types of water bodies and various means of transportation.
Article 245: Without prejudice to the provisions of inspection and judicial control in this law, the competent minister may, by a decision issued by him, authorize the establishment of compliance offices aimed at verifying the fulfillment of occupational safety and health requirements and securing the work environment in the establishments addressed by the provisions of this book, and providing the necessary technical support and advice.
The decision specifies the legal form of compliance offices, the terms and conditions for carrying out their activities, the qualifications of their employees, the terms and conditions of licensing, its duration, and the fees imposed on it, not to exceed one hundred thousand pounds.
Chapter One: Securing the Work Environment
Article 246: The facility and its branches are obligated to provide occupational safety and health measures and secure the work environment in workplaces, in accordance with exposure standards and threshold limits, and in a manner that ensures protection from physical hazards resulting from the following:
1- Heat and cold stress.
2- Noise and vibration.
3- Intensity of light.
4- Harmful and dangerous radiation (ionizing - non-ionizing).
5- Changes in atmospheric pressure.
6- Explosion hazards.
Article 247: The facility and its branches are obligated to take the necessary precautions and measures to provide occupational safety and health means and secure the work environment, in a way that ensures protection from engineering risks (mechanical - electrical - construction and building - compatibility), and in particular the following:
1- Any risk arising from lifting and towing equipment and tools, means of transportation, handling, and movement transmission.
2- Any risk arising from construction and building works, excavation, and the risk of collapse and falling.
3- Any danger arising from electricity (dynamic and static).
4- Any risk arising from failure to observe the proportionality between the worker’s physical structure, the equipment and machines, and the workplace.
Article 248: The establishment and its branches are obligated to adopt means and methods to protect workers from the risk of infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites, and other biological hazards whenever the nature of the work exposes workers to conditions of infection, especially the following:
1- Contact with sick people, and providing them with services such as care, analyses, medical and laboratory examinations, and surgical operations.
2- Handling animals, their products and waste.
3- Units for handling, transporting, storing and treating hazardous medical and veterinary waste.
4- Units for receiving, storing and processing various types of wastewater.
Article 249: The facility and its branches are obligated to provide occupational safety and health measures and secure the work environment in workplaces in a manner that ensures protection from chemical hazards resulting from handling solid, liquid and gaseous chemical materials, taking into account the following:
1- Not exceeding the maximum permissible concentration for handling chemicals and carcinogenic materials to which workers are exposed.
2- The stock of hazardous chemicals shall not exceed the threshold quantities for each one.
3- Providing the necessary precautions to protect the facility and workers when handling, transporting, storing, and using hazardous chemicals, and disposing of their waste.
4- Maintaining a paper or electronic record of the hazardous chemicals in circulation, including all data for each substance, and recording the work environment pollutants to which workers are exposed, and recording hazardous materials and waste in accordance with the Waste Management Regulation Law issued by Law No. 202 of 2020.
5- Placing identification cards on all chemicals used in the workplace, indicating their scientific and commercial name, chemical composition, degree of danger, safety precautions and emergency procedures related to them. The facility must obtain the data mentioned in these materials from their factory or supplier upon supply.
6- Training workers on how to handle hazardous chemicals and carcinogenic materials, and informing them of their risks, safety methods, and prevention of these risks.
7- Exposure criteria and threshold limits.
Article 250: The establishment and its branches are obligated to provide occupational safety and health means and to secure the work environment in the workplace in a way that guarantees the means of protection from indirect risks, which arise, or the harm or danger is exacerbated by their unavailability, such as rescue and first aid means, cleanliness, arrangement, and organization in the workplace, and to ensure that workers in places of cooking, handling, and consumption of food and beverages obtain health certificates indicating that they are free from epidemic and contagious diseases.
Article 251: The facility and its branches are obligated to take the necessary precautions and requirements to prevent fire hazards, in accordance with what is determined by the competent authority at the Ministry of Interior.
Article 252: The facility and its branches are obligated to provide occupational safety and health measures and secure the work environment in a manner that ensures protection from any danger arising from working in confined and closed spaces.
Article 253: The facility and its branches are obligated to conduct an assessment and analysis of risks, expected industrial and natural disasters, and disasters resulting from operations, and to prepare emergency plans to protect the facility, workers, and visitors when accidents and disasters occur. The effectiveness of these plans must be tested, practical experiments conducted on them to ensure their efficiency, and workers trained to meet their requirements, and correct them if necessary.
The facility may seek the advice of a consultant, or consulting centres in the field of occupational safety and health and securing the work environment when preparing emergency plans.
The facility is also obligated to inform the competent administrative authority of emergency plans and any amendments thereto, as well as in the event of the storage or use of hazardous materials.
In the event of a predicted accident or hazard in the workplace that may lead to an imminent and serious threat to the health or lives of workers, the worker may leave the workplace to a safe place inside the facility or work site or outside it if necessary, without permission, and they must notify the immediate supervisor of any dangers to which they are exposed, and this withdrawal shall not entail any consequences or disciplinary accountability.
The facility is obligated to ensure that workers do not return to an unsafe work environment until the hazard is removed.
In the event that the facility fails to implement the provisions of this Article and the decisions implementing it within the deadlines specified by the competent administrative authority, resulting in an imminent danger to the health or safety of workers or visitors, the competent administrative authority shall order the total or partial closure of the facility, or the suspension of one or more pieces of equipment or machines until the causes of danger are eliminated. The decision issued to close or suspend shall be implemented through administrative means without prejudice to the right of workers to receive their wages during the period of closure or partial or total suspension. The competent administrative authority may remove the causes of danger through direct implementation at the facility's expense in coordination with the relevant authorities.
Article 254: Establishments and their branches are obligated to provide a safe, non-hostile work environment, free from harassment, bullying and violence, and to provide the means to prevent them.
The competent minister shall issue a decision specifying models for the code of professional conduct, the rules and procedures necessary for submitting complaints, the means of settling them, and taking the necessary measures in this regard.
Article 255: The competent minister shall issue a decision on the rules, standards, and statement of safety limits in workplaces, and the requirements and precautions necessary to avert the risks specified in this chapter, in coordination with the competent authorities.
Chapter Two: Inspection in the field of occupational safety and health and securing the work environment
Article 256: Taking into account the provisions contained in Book Five of this Law, the competent administrative authority shall be obligated to do the following:
1- Forming a specialized body called (the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection and Work Environment Security Body), from members who have scientific and practical qualifications in the fields of human medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, engineering, science, environment and waste management to inspect facilities and monitor the implementation of occupational safety and health provisions and work environment security, provided that inspection takes place at appropriate periodic intervals.
2- Organizing specialized and qualitative training programs to raise the efficiency and level of performance of the members of the inspection body referred to in Clause (1) of this Article, and providing them with technical expertise and modern developments to ensure the best levels of occupational safety and health and secure the work environment.
3- Providing the aforementioned inspection body with measuring devices and equipment, and all the capabilities necessary to perform its mission.
The inspection of facilities related to national security, which are determined by a decision of the Prime Minister, shall be conducted by the entity specified in this decision.
Article 257: Members of the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection and Work Environment Security Authority shall, in order to perform their work:
1- Conducting the necessary medical and laboratory examinations on workers in the facilities to ensure that the working conditions are suitable.
2 - Taking samples of materials used or circulated in industrial processes and various work activities that may have a harmful impact on the safety and health of workers or the work environment, for the purpose of analyzing them and identifying the effects resulting from their use and circulation, and notifying the facility of this in order to take the necessary action in this regard.
3- Using equipment, devices, cameras, etc. during inspection to analyze the causes of accidents.
4- Reviewing emergency plans and analyzing the facility’s risks.
5- Reviewing the results of technical and administrative reports submitted to the facility regarding the types of major accidents and their causes.
6- Reviewing the stock quantities of hazardous materials that may threaten the facility.
The competent administrative authority, based on the report of the Occupational Safety and Health Inspection and Work Environment Security Authority, shall order the total or partial closure of the facility, or the shutdown of one or more machines, in the event of an imminent danger threatening the safety of the facility, the health of workers and visitors, or the safety of the work environment until the causes of the danger are eliminated, without prejudice to the right of workers to receive their wages.
The competent administrative authority, based on the closure decision, may remove the causes of danger through direct implementation at the facility’s expense.
The decision to close or suspend shall be implemented through administrative means.
The competent administrative authority shall issue an order to cancel the closure or suspension immediately after the causes of danger have been eliminated.
Article 258: Taking into account the provisions of Article (242) of this Law, occupational safety and health inspectors and work environment security inspectors have the right to inspect facilities to verify the availability of occupational safety and health requirements and work environment security in application of the provisions of this Law and the decisions implementing it.
Chapter Three: Regulating occupational safety and health devices and securing the work environment in facilities and training
Article 259: The competent minister shall issue the necessary decisions to determine the establishments and their branches that are obligated to establish functional devices for occupational safety and health and securing the work environment, and the committees competent for that.
The committees referred to in the first paragraph of this article are responsible for examining working conditions and the causes of work-related accidents and injuries, etc., and establishing rules and precautions to prevent them. The decisions of these committees are binding on the facility and its branches.
Training must include employees of the functional apparatus for occupational safety and health, securing the work environment, members of the relevant committees, and those responsible for management and production at all levels, in accordance with their responsibilities and the nature of their work.
Article 260: Every facility employing thirty or more workers is obligated to provide the competent administrative authority with semi-annual statistics containing actual data on common and chronic diseases, serious accidents, and injuries, during the first half of the months of July and January at the latest.
Establishments subject to the provisions of this book are also obligated to notify the competent administrative authority of any serious accident occurring in the establishment, or when symptoms of an occupational disease appear, within twenty-four hours of its occurrence. The competent minister shall issue a decision on the forms to be used for this purpose.
All establishments subject to the provisions of this book are obligated to provide the competent ministry electronically on the electronic platform prepared for this purpose with all necessary data, reports and statistics, which shall be determined by a decision issued by the competent minister. The decision shall specify the basic data required for this purpose.
Article 261: The competent ministry, the National Centre for Occupational Safety and Health Studies and Work Environment Security referred to in Article 263 of this law, and the entities licensed shall undertake basic, advanced, qualitative, and specialized training for specialists, technicians, and committee members in the field of occupational safety and health.
The competent minister shall issue a decision on the rules for granting licenses and training systems in the previous cases in the field of basic training, occupational safety and health training, and qualitative and specialized training for colleges, institutes, civil society organizations, companies, and specialized institutions, provided that it includes the conditions for granting the license, its procedures, its duration, and the prescribed fee, not to exceed fifty thousand pounds, and cases of exemption from it.
Article 262: To practice expertise and consulting work in the field of occupational safety and health and securing the work environment, it is required to obtain the necessary license from the competent ministry.
The competent minister shall issue a decision specifying the conditions, rules, and procedures for granting the license, its duration, its registration in the paper or electronic register prepared for this purpose, the fees prescribed for it, not to exceed fifty thousand pounds, and the cases of exemption therefrom.
Chapter Four: Research and Studies Departments, the Supreme Council for Occupational Safety and Health, and Work Environment Security
Article 263: The National Center for Occupational Safety and Health Studies and Securing the Work Environment, reorganized by Presidential Decree No. 333 of 2003, in cooperation with the competent ministry, shall prepare central plans for research and studies in the fields of occupational safety and health and securing the work environment in accordance with the results of the statistical analysis of work injuries in establishments, and shall follow up on their implementation in coordination with the relevant agencies in the competent ministry, in accordance with the rules and procedures issued by a decision of the competent minister.
Article 264: A council called the “Supreme Council for Occupational Safety, Health and Work Environment Insurance” shall be established, headed by the competent minister, and with membership of representatives of the relevant ministries and authorities, and an equal number of representatives of each of the most representative employers’ organizations concerned, nominated by their organizations, and representatives of the most representative labor union organizations concerned, nominated by their organizations, provided that, when nominating, representation of all levels of the relevant trade union organizations shall be taken into account unless this is impossible, and a number of experienced persons.
The Council is responsible for formulating the general policy in these areas and proposing what is necessary regarding its implementation in accordance with the general policy of the State.
The formation of the Council, its powers, and its working system shall be issued by a decision of the Prime Minister.
Article 265: A sub-committee of the Supreme Council for Occupational Safety, Health and Work Environment Securing shall be formed within the scope of each governorate, headed by the competent governor. Its membership shall include representatives of the relevant ministries and authorities, representatives of the relevant labor union organizations nominated by their organizations unless this is impossible, and employers’ organizations equally, and a number of experienced persons. A decision shall be issued by the competent minister regarding its formation, the definition of its powers, and its work system.
Chapter Five: Social and Health Services
Article 266: Without prejudice to the provisions of the aforementioned Social Insurance and Pensions Law, the establishment and its branches are obligated to do the following:
1- Initial medical examination of the worker before joining work to ensure his safety and health fitness according to the type and needs of the work assigned to him.
2- Detecting capabilities to ensure the worker’s fitness in terms of his physical, mental and psychological abilities to suit the needs of the job.
These examinations shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions regulating health insurance, and the competent minister shall issue, in agreement with the minister concerned with health affairs, a decision specifying the levels of fitness, health safety, and mental and psychological abilities on the basis of which these examinations shall be conducted.
Article 267: The establishment and its branches shall be obligated to do the following:
1- Training the worker on the correct foundations for performing his profession.
2 - Informing the worker before starting work of the risks of his profession, obligating him to use the prescribed protective means, providing him with appropriate personal protective equipment and training him on how to use them.
The establishment may not charge the worker any expenses or deduct any amounts from his wages in exchange for providing him with the necessary means of protection.
Article 268: The worker is obligated to use protective means, and undertakes to take care of the means in his possession, and to implement the instructions issued to preserve his health and protect him from work accidents. He must not commit any act intended to prevent the implementation of instructions or misuse the means established to protect him and the safety of the workers working with him, or change them or cause harm or damage to them, without prejudice to what is imposed by any other law in this regard.
Article 269: The establishment and its branches are obligated to do the following:
1- Daily periodic inspection during each work shift of workplaces, especially hazardous ones, to detect occupational hazards, work to prevent them, and prepare a paper or electronic record for this purpose.
2 - Examining the worker’s medical complaint and determining its relationship to the type of work, with the knowledge of the facility’s physician, if any.
3- Coordinating with the General Authority for Health Insurance to conduct periodic medical examinations for all facility workers to maintain their health, psychological and mental fitness, and their safety on an ongoing basis, and to detect any occupational diseases that appear in their early stages, and to conduct examinations upon the end of service, all of this in accordance with the health insurance regulations established in this regard.
Article 270: The facility is obligated to provide its workers with first aid.
If the number of workers in an establishment in one place, one country, or within a radius of fifteen kilometers exceeds fifty workers, the establishment is obligated to employ one or more qualified nurses for nursing or first aid work in each shift it works in, and to assign a doctor to visit them in the place it prepares for this purpose, and to provide them with the necessary medications for treatment, all of this free of charge.
If the worker is treated in the two cases stipulated in the first and second paragraphs of this article in a government or charitable hospital, the facility must pay the hospital administration the expenses of treatment, medication, and accommodation.
The costs of treatment, medication, and accommodation stipulated in the previous paragraphs shall be determined in accordance with the methods and procedures issued by a decision of the competent minister in agreement with the minister concerned with health affairs.
Article 271: Whoever employs workers in areas not accessible by regular means of transportation shall provide them with appropriate means of transportation at his own expense. Whoever employs workers in areas remote from urban areas shall provide them with appropriate food and suitable housing, taking into account the allocation of some of it to married workers at his own expense.
The competent minister, in agreement with the relevant ministers and with employers’ and workers’ organizations, shall issue the necessary decisions to determine areas far from urban areas, the requirements and specifications of housing, and to specify the types of food and the quantities provided to each worker, and the amount paid by the employer in exchange for them.
With regard to the meal system mentioned in the third paragraph of this article, it is permissible to adopt a system approved by the facility management and the labor union organization or the labor commissioner in the event of its absence, provided that it is approved by the competent administrative authority. It is prohibited to replace the provision of all or some of these meals with a cash equivalent.
Article 272: An establishment with fifty or more workers is obligated to provide the necessary social and cultural services to its workers, in cooperation with the labor union organization, without imposing any obligations on the worker. The competent minister shall issue the aforementioned decisions, in consultation with the employers’ and workers’ organizations, to determine the minimum for these services.
Article 273: The Social, Health and Cultural Services Fund shall have a legal personality, and its aim is to provide the services necessary to raise the social, health and cultural level of workers in public sector establishments, the public business sector and the private sector.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision to form the Fund’s Board of Directors, headed by the relevant minister, and with members representing the relevant trade union organizations and employers’ organizations equally, nominated by their organizations, and representatives of the relevant ministries and authorities. The decision shall specify the Board’s powers, the Fund’s bylaws, the financial treatment of the Chairman and members of the Board of Directors, provided that they are from its own resources, and the accounting system to be followed.
The Fund shall have a special account with a commercial bank registered with the Central Bank of Egypt, and an independent budget. The Fund shall prepare annually statements indicating the financial position in accordance with the financial accounting system. The Fund’s fiscal year shall begin with the State’s fiscal year and end with its end. Its funds shall be subject to the oversight of the Central Auditing Organization, and its surplus funds shall be carried over from one year to the next.
The establishments referred to in the first paragraph of this article, which have twenty workers or more, are obligated to pay an annual subscription of no less than eight pounds and no more than sixteen pounds for each worker annually to finance this fund. A decision shall be issued by the competent minister to determine the value of the annual subscription, after presenting it to the fund’s board of directors. The establishment has the right, when it provides the services mentioned in Article 274 of this law, or provides a better benefit to its workers, to deduct the value of those services or benefit or deduct (70%) of the amount due to the fund annually, whichever is less.
Article 274: The fund referred to in Article 273 of this law is obligated to provide the following services:
1- Supporting medical expenses in accordance with what is specified in the Fund’s financial and administrative regulations, which specify the types of medical services, their beneficiaries, the committees responsible for determining treatment, and the entities responsible for implementing health services.
2- Supporting the facility’s libraries with books.
3- Holding or funding cultural seminars.
4- Supporting the costs of organizing elections for labor union organizations.
5- Preparing literacy programs in cooperation with the relevant authorities.
6- Supporting sports activities in the facility.
7- Holding the necessary competitions to develop the technical, cultural and sporting skills of employees.
8- Preparing recreational trip programs and summer resorts according to the workers’ capabilities.
9- Supporting labor union activities.
10- Participating workers and employers in providing a safe work environment free from violence, harassment, and bullying by holding awareness seminars and funding development projects that target this, whenever resources are available.
The competent minister, in agreement with the Fund’s Board of Directors, may add other services, provided that they are within the Fund’s scope of work.
The Prime Minister shall issue a decision on the Fund’s financial and administrative regulations, powers, disbursement controls and oversight thereof.
Book Five: Labor Inspection and Penalties
Chapter One: Labor Inspection and Judicial Police
Article 275: The employees responsible for implementing the provisions of this law and the decisions issued in implementation thereof, who are designated by a decision issued by the Minister of Justice in agreement with the competent minister, shall have the status of judicial police officers with respect to crimes that occur within their jurisdiction and are related to the work of their jobs.
Each of them shall take the following oath before the competent minister before commencing his work: “I swear by Almighty God that I will perform my duties with integrity, honesty and truthfulness and that I will not divulge any work secrets that I become aware of by virtue of my job.”
Article 276: Everyone who has the capacity of judicial police shall carry a card proving this capacity, and he shall have the right to enter and inspect all workplaces to verify the application of the provisions of this law and the decisions implementing it, and to examine the books and papers related thereto, and to request the necessary documents and data from business owners or their representatives.
The competent minister shall determine, by a decision, the rules and procedures for assigning inspections of workplaces at night and outside of official working hours for those carrying them out, and the rewards due to them.
Article 277: Business owners or their representatives must facilitate the task of those charged with monitoring the implementation of the provisions of this law and the decisions implementing it, and provide them with the documents and data necessary to perform their task.
Article (278): Employers or their representatives must respond to attendance requests directed to them by the workers referred to in Article (275) of this law, at the times they specify.
Article 279: The concerned authorities, ministries, agencies and bodies shall assist the employees charged with monitoring the implementation of the provisions of this law and the decisions implementing it when they perform their duties whenever requested to do so.
Chapter Two: Penalties
Article 280: Without prejudice to any more severe penalty stipulated by the Penal Code or any other law, the penalties stipulated in the following articles shall be imposed for the crimes referred to therein.
Article 281: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 4 and 5 of this law shall be punished with a fine of not less than five thousand pounds and not more than fifty thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers against whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Article 282: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 82/Clause 1 and 2, 273/Paragraph Four of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing them shall be punished with a fine of not less than one thousand pounds and not more than ten thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Anyone who violates the provisions of Article (21/Clause 1) of this Law shall be punished with the same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this Article.
Article 283: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles (37, first paragraph, 48/first paragraph, 153) of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it shall be punished with a fine of no less than two thousand pounds and no more than ten thousand pounds, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recurrence.
Anyone who violates the provisions of Article 137 of this Law shall be punished with the same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this Article.
Article 284: Anyone who violates the provisions of Article 26 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it shall be punished with a fine of not less than one thousand pounds and not more than ten thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Article 285: Anyone who violates the provisions of Article 23 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it shall be punished with a fine of not less than twenty thousand pounds and not more than one hundred thousand pounds. The court may, when issuing a conviction, order the closure of the facility, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Article 286: Anyone who violates the provisions of Article Seven of the articles issuing this law and Articles (24, 25, 36, 46, 51, 52, 68) of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing them shall be punished with a fine of not less than one thousand pounds and not more than twenty thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime occurred, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles (38, 122, 175) of this law shall be punished with the same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this article.
Article 287: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 45, 104, and 108 of this law shall be punished with a fine of not less than two thousand pounds and not more than twenty thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers against whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Article 288: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 27, 53, 60, 117, 118, 119, 123, 124, 132, 135/second paragraph, 254/first paragraph) of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it shall be punished with a fine of not less than five hundred pounds and not more than five thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
The same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this article shall be imposed on anyone who violates the provisions of Articles (12, 29, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 110, 111, 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 120, 121, 125, 126, 128, 129, 131, 138/second paragraph, 156, 159, 162, 164, 173) of this law.
Article 289: If the employer or his representative on behalf of the establishment violates any of the provisions of Articles 63, 64, and 66 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it, he shall be punished with a fine of not less than two thousand pounds and not more than ten thousand pounds. In all cases, the fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime was committed. In the event of recidivism, the fine shall be doubled and the establishment shall be ordered to be closed for a period not exceeding six months.
Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 62 and 65 of this Law shall be punished with the same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this Article.
Article 290: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 33 and 37 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it shall be punished with a fine of not less than five hundred pounds and not more than one thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers against whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles (35, 205) of this law shall be punished with the same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this article.
Article 291: Whoever commits one of the following crimes shall be punished by imprisonment and a fine of not less than twenty thousand pounds and not more than one hundred thousand pounds, or by one of these two penalties:
1- Carrying out the process of recruiting workers to work inside or outside the country from entities other than those specified in Article (40) of this law without obtaining the license stipulated in Article (41) of this law, or with a license issued based on incorrect data.
2- Unlawfully receiving sums from the worker’s wages or entitlements for his work at home or abroad.
3- Providing incorrect information about agreements or contracts for assignment to work abroad, or their wages or terms and conditions of work, or fictitious work contracts contrary to reality. In all cases, the amounts that were unlawfully received or obtained shall be returned, and the court may rule in cases of conviction to close the facility, and closure shall be mandatory in the event of conviction for one of the crimes referred to in Clause (1) of this Article.
Article 292: Anyone who violates the provisions of Article 42 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it shall be punished with a fine of no less than five thousand pounds and no more than one hundred thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Article 293: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 70, 71, 72, and 74 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing them shall be punished with a fine of not less than twenty thousand pounds and not more than one hundred thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
Article 294: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 151/Second Paragraph, 152, 198 of this law shall be punished with a fine of not less than one thousand pounds and not more than twenty thousand pounds, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of a repeat offense.
Article 295: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 236, 237, and 239 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing it shall be punished with a fine of not less than three thousand pounds and not more than ten thousand pounds. The fine shall be multiplied by the number of workers in respect of whom the crime was committed, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recidivism.
The same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this article shall be imposed on anyone who violates the provisions of Articles (169, 170, 172, 238, 240, 241/third paragraph) of this law.
Article 296: Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles 245, 254, 255, 259, 260, 261, 262, 266, 270, 271, 272 of this law and the ministerial decisions implementing them shall be punished with a fine of no less than five thousand pounds and no more than one hundred thousand pounds, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of a repeat offense.
Anyone who violates the provisions of Articles (246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253, 267, 268, 269) of this law shall be punished with the same penalty referred to in the first paragraph of this article.
Article 297: If the employer or his representative on behalf of the establishment violates the provisions of Articles 277 and 278 of this law, he shall be punished with a fine of not less than five thousand pounds and not more than twenty thousand pounds, and the fine shall be doubled in the event of recurrence.
Article 298: The person responsible for the actual management of the legal entity shall be punished with the same penalty prescribed for acts committed in violation of the provisions of this law if it is proven that he knew about them and his failure to fulfill the duties imposed on him by that management contributed to the occurrence of the crime.
The legal person shall be jointly liable for the payment of any financial penalties and compensation imposed.
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