Labor Code Changes in Kyrgyzstan

The President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov signed a new Labor Code aimed at protecting employees’ rights.

The document adopted by the Jogorku Kenesh on December 18, 2024, contains a number of innovations that simplify labor relations and regulate important aspects of employment.

The main provisions of the new Labor Code include:

• Simplification of procedures: introduction of an electronic employment contract, local regulations and an electronic record of service;
• Public holidays: reduction in the number of state and non-working holidays, establishment of New Year and May vacations, and cancellation of the staggering of days off;
• Social support: quota arrangement for jobs for people with disabilities and graduates of orphanages, as well as one-time payments in the event of employment injury or death of an employee in the amount determined by the Cabinet of Ministers;
• Sanctions for delays in payments: introduction of a single penalty rate of 0.25% for violation of the terms of payment of wages, vacation pay and other payments;
• Statute of limitations: a statute of limitations of 3 years has been established for disputes over the collection of wages;
• Flexible forms of work: the possibility of concluding employment contracts for remote or combined remote work;
• Restrictions for certain categories of employees: a ban on heavy and harmful work for pregnant and lactating women;
• Remuneration: linked to the quantity, quality and complexity of work based on occupational standards;
• Social partnership: individual articles on employee and employer representation have been transferred to the Law On Social Partnership.

Public holidays:

• New Year holidays will last from January 1 to January 6, May holidays – from May 1 to May 8.
• February 23, April 7 and November 7-8 will remain public holidays, but will now be working days.
• March 8, March 21, May 5, May 9 and August 31 will be non-working holidays.