No score
change

2024 Score

59.5

2022 Score

59.5

2020 Score

59.5

Rating

Basic Access to Decent Work

Fair
Wages

40

Decent
Working Hours

80

Employment
Security

20

Family
Responsibilities

25

Maternity
at Work

40

Safe
Work

75

Social
Security

60

Fair
Treatment

80

Child &
Forced Labour

100

Freedom of
Association

75

Fair Wages - 40

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the legislation or collective negotiation set and determine the minimum wages in the country? Yes 1 §70-71, 98(c), 109 & 112-115, 124 of the Labour Act, 2003; §34 of the Free Zones Act, 1995
No Change
Does the law require regular and timely payment of wages? Yes 1 §16, 20, 67-71 & 175 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require overtime compensation to be at least 125% of the regular hourly rate? No 0 Section 35 of the Labour Act 2003.
No Change
Does the law require any additional compensation for working on a weekly rest day? No 0 §77 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require additional compensation for night work? No 0 No applicable legal provisions could be located
No Change

Decent Working Hours - 80

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law stipulate general weekly working hours as 48 hours or lower? Yes 1 §33-38 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law restrict maximum working hours, including overtime, to 56 hours per week? No 0 §33-38 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require a paid weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours? Yes 1 § 40-44 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require paid public holidays? Yes 1 § 72 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651); Holidays Act, 2001 (Act 601)
No Change
Does the law require at least three working weeks of paid annual leave? Yes 1 §20-32 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change

Employment Security - 20

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law require a written employment contract or employment particulars to be given to a worker on commencement of employment? Yes 1 § 12-13, 74-75 & Schedule I of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law restrict the hiring of fixed-term contract workers? No 0 § 73-78 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law limit the length of the probation period, including renewals, to three months? No 0 § 66(b) & 98(d) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651); Regulation 5 of Labour Regulations 2007 (LI 1833)
No Change
Does the law require a 30-day notice period before employment contract termination? No 0 §15-17 & 62-66 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require severance pay at the rate of at least two weeks of wages for every year of service? No 0 §18, 64 & 65 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change

Family Responsibilities - 25

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law require a four-month parental leave for parents? No 0 No applicable legal provisions could be located
No Change
Does the law require at least one week of paid paternity leave for fathers*? No 0 No applicable legal provisions could be located
No Change
Does the law require flexible working arrangements* for workers with family responsibilities? No 0 No applicable legal provisions could be located
No Change
Does the law require paid nursing breaks? Yes 1 §57(6&7) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change

Maternity at Work - 40

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law prohibit inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment? No 0 No applicable legal provisions could be located
No Change
Does the law require maternity leave of at least 14 weeks? No 0 §57 (1 & 3-5) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require cash maternity benefits to be at least two-thirds (66.67%) of a worker's former wage? Yes 1 §57(2) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require cash maternity benefits to be paid through a contributory social insurance or a universal benefits system or such benefits are an employer's liability? No 0 §57(2) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law protect workers from dismissals during or on account of pregnancy? Yes 1 § 57(8) & 63(2)(e) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change

Safe Work - 75

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law require employers to provide free personal protective equipment to workers? Yes 1 § 118(2)(e) & 118(3) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law require employers to train workers on health and safety Issues? Yes 1 § 118(2)(c) of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law restrict work that is prejudicial to the health of the mother or the child? No 0 § 55-56 & 118 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law provide for employment injury benefits in the event of an occupational accident or disease? Yes 1 §1-8 of Workmen's Compensation Act, 1987 (PNDCL 187); ISSA Country Profile for Ghana
No Change

Social Security - 60

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law provide for an old age benefit? Yes 1 § 70, 75-76 of the National Pensions Act 2008(Act 766); §60 and 77 National Pensions (Amendment) ACT, 2014 (Act 766)
No Change
Does the law provide for survivors' benefits? Yes 1 § 73 & 78 of the National Pensions Act 2008 (Act 766); ISSA Country Profile for Ghana
No Change
Does the law provide for unemployment benefits? No 0 No applicable legal provisions could be located
No Change
Does the law require paid sick leave (and sickness benefits) for the first six months of sickness? No 0 § 22 & 24 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651); ISSA Country Profile for Ghana
No Change
Does the law provide for invalidity benefits? Yes 1 § 71 & 79 of the National Pensions Act 2008 (Act 766); ISSA Country Profile for Ghana
No Change

Fair Treatment - 80

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law require equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value? Yes 1 §24(1) of the Constitution of Ghana 1992; §68 of the Labour Act, 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law prohibit sexual harassment in employment? Yes 1 § 15, 63 & 175 of the Labour Act 2003; §103 of the Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29)
No Change
Does the law prohibit discrimination in employment matters? Yes 1 §17 of the Constitution of Ghana 1992; §14, 87 & 127 of the Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law allow women to do the same job as men? No 0 §37 of the Factories, Offices and Shops Act, 1970
No Change
Does the law guarantee basic labour protection to the platform workers? Yes 1 National Pensions (Amendment) ACT, 2014 (Act 766); ISSA Country Profile for Ghana
No Change

Child & Forced Labour - 100

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law prohibit the employment of children? Yes 1 §25 of the Constitution of Ghana 1992; §89-91 & 98 of the Children's Act, 1998
No Change
Does the law set employment entry age equal to or higher than the compulsory schooling age? Yes 1 §2.2 of the Education Act, 2008
No Change
Does the law prohibit the employment of young persons in hazardous work under the age of 18 years? Yes 1 §91-92, Children's Act 1998; §58 of the Labour Act 2003
No Change
Does the law prohibit forced labour? Yes 1 §116–117 of the Labour Act, 2003; §1–3 and 42 of the Human Trafficking Act, 2005
No Change

Freedom of Association - 75

Question Answer Score Legal Basis Trend
Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice? Yes 1 §21(e) & 24, Constitution of Ghana 1992; §79-95 & 131, Labour Act 2003 (Act 651)
No Change
Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions? Yes 1 §96-115, Labour Act (651) of 2003
No Change
Does the law provide the right to strike? No 0 §163 of the Labour Act (651) of 2003; §20 of the Labour regulations, 2007; USDOS CRHRP 2023 (Ghana)
No Change
Does the law prohibit imposing excessive sanctions against striking workers, including replacement of such workers? Yes 1 §170, Labour Act (651) of 2003
No Change

*In order to measure the trend in country’s legislative performance over the last edition of the Labour Rights Index (2022), the following legend is used.

Score increase

Score decrease

Score adjustment

Methodological change

No change