Jamaica

Capital: Kingston

Currency: Jamaican Dollar- JMD

JMD

Jamaica Labour Laws and Employment Policies Overview

Key Legislations:
- Labour Relations and Industrial Disputes Act (1942)
- National Insurance Act (1965)
- National Housing Trust Act (1976)
- Education Tax Act (1983)
- Human Employment and Resource Training Act (1981)
Legal Characteristics:
- Aims to protect employee rights and promote job security
- Regulates minimum wage, working hours, vacation leave, severance pay, and social security

Contract Types:
- Fixed-term contracts
- Indefinite-term contracts
Contractual Provisions:
- Must include details on job description, remuneration, working hours, termination terms, etc.
Language and Currency:
- Contracts must be written in English and denominated in Jamaican dollars

Standard Work Week: 40 hours per week
Rest Days and Breaks:
- Minimum of 24 hours of rest per week
- Entitled to a 1-hour break after 5 hours of work daily

Annual Leave:
- 2 weeks of paid annual leave per year
- 3 weeks of annual leave for employees with over 10 years of continuous service
Public Holidays:
- 12 statutory public holidays per year
Special Leave:
- Sick Leave: 2 weeks of paid sick leave per year
- Maternity Leave: Pregnant employees are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave after completing 1 year of service, 8 weeks of which are paid
- Paternity Leave: Jamaica has no statutory paternity leave provisions
- Parental Leave: Jamaica has no statutory parental leave provisions

Notice Period:
- Less than 5 years of employment: 2 weeks' notice
- 5-10 years of employment: 4 weeks' notice
- 10-15 years of employment: 6 weeks' notice
- 15-20 years of employment: 8 weeks' notice
- Over 20 years of employment: 12 weeks' notice
Severance Pay:
- Payable only in cases of redundancy
- Redundancy severance pay is calculated as one week's pay for every year of service for the first 10 years, increasing to one week's pay for every three years of service thereafter
Unfair Dismissal Protection:
- Employers cannot dismiss employees for reasons such as discrimination, union activities, or whistleblowing

Personal Income Tax:
- Salary Range (JMD) Tax Rate
  0 - 1500096 0%
  1500096 - 6000000 25%
  6000000 and above 30%
Social Security Contributions:
- Employee: 3%
- Employer: 12.5%

Insurance Policy:
- Jamaica provides universal health coverage
- Employers may offer supplemental private insurance

Minimum Wage: JMD 9000 per month
Salary Structure:
- Monthly or semi-monthly salaries
- Benefits such as bonuses, allowances, etc.

Permit Requirement:
- Foreigners require a work permit to work in Jamaica
Application Process:
- Employer applies to the Ministry of Labour on behalf of the employee
- Application requires documents such as passport, employment contract, proof of qualifications

Enforceability:
- Confidentiality and non-compete clauses are enforceable in Jamaica
Common Provisions:
- Restrict employees from using or disclosing the employer's confidential information after leaving employment
- Restrict employees from working for competitors after leaving employment

Legal Requirements:
- Employers must provide safety training and skills development training to employees
Government Support:
- Government provides funding and incentives to encourage corporate training

Legal Requirements:
- Prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, religion, or disability
Enforcement Measures:
- Government and employer associations establish policies and procedures to promote workplace diversity and inclusion

Legal Framework:
- Jamaica has no specific legal framework governing remote work
Tax and Insurance Implications:
- Tax and social security implications of remote work depend on the specific circumstances