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Written Agreements

Uganda's labor law generally allows the use of both oral and written contracts. However, a contract of service made with an employee who cannot read or understand the language in which the contract is written must be attested to by a labor officer or magistrate.

Additionally, a written statement of particulars must be provided to the employee within 12 weeks of the employment commencement. The written statement must at least include the following information:

• Full names and addresses of the contracting parties
• Employment start date
• Workplace
• Job title
• Rate of overtime pay
• Wages including payment intervals and other deductions
• Employee's normal work hours and the shifts or days of the week during which such work is to be performed
• The number of days for the annual leave and wages during the period
• Terms relating to incapacity for work due to sickness or injury
• Length of notice and sick pay.

Employers are required to provide the above information in a language that the employee can easily understand.

Oral Agreements

According to Uganda’s Employment Act, a service contract or employment contract may generally be made orally or in writing. The Act's provisions apply equally to oral and written contracts.

Additionally, a written statement of particulars must be provided to the employee within 12 weeks of employment commencement.

Implied Agreements

Uganda's labor law offers no provisions or guidance on implied contracts. The industry's best practice is to be cautious of implied contracts by frequently utilizing or adapting written agreements.

Per Uganda's Employment Act, the maximum working hours for employees are generally 48 hours per week and 8 hours per day. However, an employee and employer may agree in advance to increase the maximum working hours per week to more than 48 hours. In that case, hours of work shall not exceed 10 hours per day or 56 hours per week.

Even then, it is permissible to employ shift workers for more than 10 hours in any one day or 48 hours in any 1 week (without paying overtime) as long as the average number of hours over a period of three weeks does not exceed 10 hours per day and 56 hours per week.

In any organization where the maximum working hours are at least 8 hours per day, a 30-minute break must be granted to employees.

After consultation with the Labor Advisory Board, the Minister may regulate the maximum number of hours per week (including overtime work) that may be worked in any industry or occupation. By order, the minister may also provide for temporary exceptions in extraordinary situations where the public interest requires.

January 1 (New Year’s Day), Jan 26 (Liberation Day), Date variable (Good Friday and Easter Monday), March 8 (Women’s Day), May 1 (Labor Day), June 3 (Martyr’s Day), June 9 (National Heroes Day), Date variable (Eid al-Fitr, End of Ramadan), October 9 (Independence Day), Date variable (Eid al-Adha, Feast of the Sacrifice), December 25 (Christmas Day), December 26 (Boxing Day). Other Holidays, January 26 (NRM Liberation Day), February 16 (Archbishop Janan Luwum Day).

Per Uganda's Employment Act, the maximum length of a probationary period is 6 months. However, the probationary period may be extended for a further period of not more than 6 additional months with the employee's agreement.

An employer may not place the same employee under probation twice. A probationary contract may be terminated by either party after giving at least a 14-day notice or by the employer after paying 7 days' wages in lieu of notice.

Notice Period

Per Uganda's Employment Act, before deciding to dismiss an employee on the grounds of misconduct or poor performance, an employer must explain the reason for dismissal to the employee. In addition, the employee is entitled to have another person of their choice present during this conversation. Employers who fail to comply with this procedure are liable to pay the employee a sum equivalent to 4 weeks of net pay.

The statutory minimum notice period in Uganda is established according to the employee's length of service:

• At least 2 weeks, for a period of service of more than six months but less than 1 year
• At least 1 month, for a period of service of more than 12 months but less than 5 years
• At least 2 months, for a period of service of more than five years but less than 10 years
• At least 3 months, for a period of service of 10 years or more

The notice must be in writing and in a form and language that the employee can reasonably be expected to understand. Employees may accept payment in lieu of notice. When the employee's pay period is longer than the period of notice to which the employee would be entitled, the employee is entitled to notice equivalent to that pay period.

Severance Benefits

An employer must pay a severance allowance if an employee has been in continuous service with the employer for a period of 6 months or more and where any of the following conditions apply:

• The employer unfairly dismisses the employee
• The employee dies in their employer's service (other than a death caused by the employee's own serious and willful misconduct).
• The employee terminates their contract because of a physical incapacity (not brought about by their own serious and willful misconduct)
• A labor officer terminates the contract following the inability or refusal of the employer to pay wages

Payment of a severance allowance is not required in the following circumstances:

• The employee is summarily dismissed with justification
• The employee is dismissed by the employer and unreasonably refuses to accept an offer of re-employment by the employer at the same workplace and under terms and a wage rate no less favorable than they had when employed immediately before dismissal
• The employee abandons their employment or absconds from their place of work without leave for a period of more than 3 days without an explanation being provided to the employer

A severance allowance is not required upon the termination of a probationary contract. The amount of severance pay is to be negotiated between the employer and the employee or union representing the employee.

Minimum Wage

In Uganda, the statutory minimum wage is fixed by a Wages Regulation Order. The minimum wage was last updated in 1984 and set at UGX 6,000 (Ugandan shilling) per month. It has not been revised since.

Uganda's Parliament passed a minimum wage bill in February 2019, but President Yoweri Museveni failed to sign it into law.

Uganda's Employment Act stipulates that in the absence of a written agreement, employees engaged to work for one day must be paid at the end of the day. Similarly, those paid by the hour or week must receive their wages at the end of that hour and week, respectively. Employees paid monthly are to be paid fortnightly or monthly, and those paid by the piece of work must be paid at intervals of not more than 1 fortnight. In case of contract termination, the employee is to receive wages and any accrued benefits or other remuneration within 7 days of the contract's termination date.

Overtime, Holiday & Vacation Pay

Per Uganda's Employment Act, the maximum working hours for employees are generally 48 hours per week and 8 hours per day. However, an employee and employer may agree in advance to increase the maximum working hours per week to more than 48 hours. In that case, hours of work shall not exceed 10 hours per day or 56 hours per week.

Even then, it is permissible to employ shift workers in excess of 10 hours in 1 day or 48 hours in any 1 week (without paying overtime), as long as the average number of hours over a 3 week period does not exceed 10 hours per day and 56 hours per week.

Generally, where hours in excess of 8 per day or 48 per week are worked, they shall, in the absence of a written agreement to the contrary, be paid at a rate of 150% of the normal hourly rate if the overtime is on normal working days, and at 200% the normal hourly rate if the overtime is worked on gazetted public holidays.

Employees are entitled to their normal wage while on annual leave.

Visas

There are 4 types of Ugandan visas:

• Tourist single - granted to those who want to enter the country once during the 3-month validity period. The consular fee for the tourist single visa is USD 100 (U.S. dollars) for 2-day processing or USD 130 for 1-2 day processing.
• Tourist multiple - granted to those who wish to enter Uganda more than once during the validity period. A multiple visa can be valid for either 6 months or 1 year upon arrival. The consular fees associated with this type of visa are USD 100 (2-day processing) and USD 120 (1-2 day processing).
• Business single - granted to those who wish to enter Uganda for business purposes. This only allows 1 entry during the 3-month validity period. The consular fees for this visa type are either USD 100 (2-day processing) or USD 130 (1-2 day processing).
• Business multiple - granted to individuals seeking to enter Uganda more than once during the allowed validity period. The consular fees for this type of visa are USD 100 (2-day processing) and USD 130 (1-2 days processing).

Tourist and business single visas are only valid up to 3 months upon arrival. Multiple entry visas may be valid for either 6 months or 1 year upon arrival.

Work Permits

Uganda issues the following work permits:

• Class A (Government & diplomatic service)
• Class A2 (Government contractors)
• Class B (Investment in agriculture)
• Class C (Mining)
• Class D (Business and trade)
• Class E (Manufacturers)
• Class F (Professionals)
• Class G1 (Volunteers, NGO workers, And missionaries)
• Class G2 (Employees)

Uganda Work Permit Class G

The Uganda Work Permit Class G is for employees who intend to work in Uganda. The work can be either on a paid or unpaid basis. The work permit is issued by the Department of Immigration in cases where a foreigner has provided adequate evidence to the immigration board that they have been offered and have accepted an offer of employment with a specific company or institution operating in Uganda.

There are two classes of Ugandan Work Permit Class G:

• Work permit Class G1 – Volunteers, NGO workers, missionaries
• Work permit Class G2 – Employees