47.5
47
49.5
Total Lack of Access to Decent Work
40
60
60
25
40
50
60
40
100
0
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the legislation or collective negotiation set and determine the minimum wages in the country? | No | 0 | §21-22 and 40-44 of the Wage Boards Ordinance; §3-9 of the National Minimum Wage of Workers Act 2016 |
Score on the Minimum Wage component worsened due to lack of revision of minimum wage since 1 January 2022.
|
| Does the law require regular and timely payment of wages? | Yes | 1 | §2, 5 & 23 of the Wage Boards Ordinance; §19 and Regulation 17 under the Shop & Office Employees Act | No Change |
| Does the law require overtime compensation to be at least 125% of the regular hourly rate? | Yes | 1 | Regulation 7 of the Shop and Office Employees Act of 1954 | No Change |
| Does the law require any additional compensation for working on a weekly rest day? | No | 0 | §7 of Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954 | No Change |
| Does the law require additional compensation for night work? | No | 0 | No applicable legal provisions could be located | No Change |
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the law stipulate general weekly working hours as 48 hours or lower? | Yes | 1 | Regulation 3, 6 & 7 of the Shop and Office Employees Act of 1954; §67 of the Factories Ordinance, 1942 | No Change |
| Does the law restrict maximum working hours, including overtime, to 56 hours per week? | No | 0 | Regulation 6 of the Shop and Office Employees Act of 1954 | No Change |
| Does the law require a paid weekly rest of at least 24 consecutive hours? | Yes | 1 | §5 of Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954 | No Change |
| Does the law require paid public holidays? | Yes | 1 | §7 of the Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954; Holidays Act (No. 29 of 1971) | No Change |
| Does the law require at least three working weeks of paid annual leave? | No | 0 | §6 of the Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954 | No Change |
| 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 | §17 & Regulation 15 of the Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954 | No Change |
| Does the law restrict the hiring of fixed-term contract workers? | No | 0 | §54 of the Employees’ Councils Act, No.32 of 1979 | No Change |
| Does the law limit the length of the probation period, including renewals, to three months? | No | 0 | Regulation 15(g) of the Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954; Employment of Trainees (Private sector) Act No. 8 of 1978; §3(e) of the National Workers Charter, 1995 | No Change |
| Does the law require a 30-day notice period before employment contract termination? | Yes | 1 | §31 of the Industrial Dispute Act, 1950 | No Change |
| Does the law require severance pay at the rate of at least two weeks of wages for every year of service? | Yes | 1 | §5 & 6 of Payment of Gratuity Act; Termination of Employment of Workmen (Special Provisions) Act 1971 (2005 Schedule) | No Change |
| 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 | §12(B) of the Maternity Benefits Ordinance, 1939 | No Change |
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the law prohibit inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment? | No | 0 | No applicable legal prohibitions could be located | No Change |
| Does the law require maternity leave of at least 14 weeks? | No | 0 | §02 of the Maternity Benefits Ordinance, 1939, 1939; §18(B) of the Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954 | 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 | §18(C) of the Shop and Office Employees Act 1954; §3-5 of the Maternity Benefits Ordinance, 1939 | 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 | §18(C) of the Shop and Office Employees Act 1954; §3-5 of the Maternity Benefits Ordinance, 1939 | No Change |
| Does the law protect workers from dismissals during or on account of pregnancy? | Yes | 1 | §10 of Maternity Benefits Ordinance, 1939; §18(E) of Shop and Office Employees Act 1954 | No Change |
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the law require employers to provide free personal protective equipment to workers? | Yes | 1 | §32, 51, 53 & 58 of the Factories Ordinance, 1942, 1942 | No Change |
| Does the law require employers to train workers on health and safety Issues? | No | 0 | §26 of the Factories Ordinance, 1942 | No Change |
| Does the law restrict work that is prejudicial to the health of the mother or the child? | No | 0 | §10(B) of the Maternity Benefits Ordinance, 1939; §18(D) of the Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954 | No Change |
| Does the law provide for employment injury benefits in the event of an occupational accident or disease? | Yes | 1 | §6, 12, Part III& Schedule IV of Workmen's Compensation Ordinance, 1934; ISSA Country Profile for Sri Lanka | No Change |
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the law provide for an old age benefit? | Yes | 1 | §10 & 23 of Employees' Provident Fund Act, 1958; ISSA Country Profile for Sri Lanka | No Change |
| Does the law provide for survivors' benefits? | Yes | 1 | §25 of the Employees' Trust Fund Act, 1980; ISSA Country Profile for Sri Lanka | 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 | §6(3 & 4) of the Shop and Office Employees Act; ISSA Country Profile for Sri Lanka | No Change |
| Does the law provide for invalidity benefits? | Yes | 1 | §24 of the Employees' Trust Fund Act, 1980; ISSA Country Profile for Sri Lanka | No Change |
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the law require equal remuneration for men and women workers for work of equal value? | No | 0 | §12 of the Constitution, 1978 | No Change |
| Does the law prohibit sexual harassment in employment? | Yes | 1 | §345 of the Penal Code of Sri Lanka, 1885 | No Change |
| Does the law prohibit discrimination in employment matters? | No | 0 | §12 & 17 of the Constitution, 1978 | No Change |
| Does the law allow women to do the same job as men? | No | 0 | §14(1)(g), Constitution, 1978; §02, Employment of Females in Mines Ordinance, 1937; §86, Factories Ordinance, 1942 | No Change |
| Does the law guarantee basic labour protection to the platform workers? | Yes | 1 | Employees' Provident Fund Act, 1958; ISSA Country Profile for Sri Lanka | No Change |
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the law prohibit the employment of children? | Yes | 1 | §7, 9, 13, 20 and 34 of the Employment of Women, Young Persons, and Children Act, 1956, amended in 2021 | No Change |
| Does the law set employment entry age equal to or higher than the compulsory schooling age? | Yes | 1 | §43 of the Education Ordinance; Compulsory Attendance of Children at Schools Regulation No. 1 of 2015; §34 of the Employment of Women, Young Persons, and Children Act, 1956, amended in 2021 | Score adjusted because of availability of a legal source |
| Does the law prohibit the employment of young persons in hazardous work under the age of 18 years? | Yes | 1 | §10(2) of the Shop and Office Employees Act, 1954; Hazardous Occupations Regulations No. 01 of 2021 | No Change |
| Does the law prohibit forced labour? | Yes | 1 | §11 of Constitution of Sri Lanka 1978; §358A, 360C, 360A(2), and 360A(4) of the Penal Code, 1885 | No Change |
| Question | Answer | Score | Legal Basis | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice? | No | 0 | §31 of the Trade Union Ordinance 1935 | No Change |
| Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions? | No | 0 | §5-10 & 32(A)(g) of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1950; USDOS CRHRP 2021 (Sri Lanka) | No Change |
| Does the law provide the right to strike? | No | 0 | §32, 48, Industrial Disputes Act, 1950; §67, Factories Ordinance, 1942; §2, Trade Union Ordinance, 1935 | No Change |
| Does the law prohibit imposing excessive sanctions against striking workers, including replacement of such workers? | No | 0 | §43 of the Industrial Disputes Act, 1950 | No Change |