#1 Labour Law in Libya | Qabas [Free Audit]

Qabas manages labour law in Libya for employers that want the workforce compliant, the evidence complete and management free to make decisions without creating avoidable claims. We audit contracts, hours, leave, personnel records, foreign workers, safety, discipline and termination, then turn every gap into a controlled corrective action.

The central statute is Law No. 12 of 2010 on Labour Relations, as amended, including by Law No. 13 of 2016. The published English text is an unofficial translation. Qabas coordinates live advice against the consolidated official Arabic text, implementing measures and current authority practice.

Qabas turns the law into an operating system

Most employers do not fail because they have never heard of annual leave. They fail because the contract, policy, roster, payslip and personnel file record different versions of reality.

Qabas tests those records together. The client receives a risk ranked compliance report, an action owner, required evidence and completion date for each issue. Urgent exposure moves first. Structural corrections enter a controlled programme. Management can see progress and prove it.

Employment contracts

Article 67 of the available translation states that the work contract should follow the competent model, be written in Arabic and be executed in three copies, including one for the competent employment office after ratification. A worker may prove rights by other means where no written contract exists.

Qabas reviews employer identity, duties, remuneration, workplace, duration, leave, working time, confidentiality, equipment, intellectual property where relevant, notice and return of property. Bilingual contracts are reconciled so that translation does not create two obligations.

Probation and duration

Article 69 states a probation period of thirty working days from the date work begins. Article 70 recognises contracts for a specific period, particular work and an indefinite period. The available translation states that a fixed period may not exceed two years and may be renewed once before becoming indefinite.

Qabas identifies contracts already inconsistent with those rules and creates a lawful correction or renewal plan.

Working time, rest and overtime

Article 13 states that working hours may not exceed forty eight hours each week and ten hours each day, subject to reduced hours for some categories. Article 14 provides at least twenty four consecutive hours of paid weekly rest, ordinarily on Friday.

Article 16 provides additional remuneration of at least fifty per cent for qualifying overtime linked to work pressure and states that overtime should not exceed three hours daily. Article 17 addresses prayer, meal and rest time and states that work should not continue for more than six consecutive hours.

Qabas audits roster design, time evidence, approval and payroll treatment. Where the system cannot prove hours, the employer is left defending an assumption.

Leave and maternity

Article 30 provides thirty days of annual leave, rising to forty five days for workers aged fifty or with more than twenty years of service. At least fifteen consecutive days should be enjoyed each year.

Article 31 provides limited emergency leave. Article 33 addresses paid sick leave. Article 25 provides fourteen weeks of maternity leave, rising to sixteen weeks where more than one child is delivered, with at least six weeks after delivery.

Qabas reconciles contracts, policy, approval records and payroll. We correct the common error of treating fifteen days as the full annual entitlement.

Equality, safety and workplace care

Article 24 addresses equal treatment and remuneration for work of equal value. Articles 27 and 28 contain protections for young workers. Articles 37 to 40 address medical examinations, occupational protection, training, equipment and accident reporting.

The available translation refers to written notification to the competent employment office within forty eight hours of an accident causing death or injury preventing work. Qabas tests incident reporting, risk assessments, training, protective equipment, supervision and corrective action against the operation.

The ILO global database on occupational safety and health legislation is a useful research source. The employer still needs the Libyan rules and sector controls applicable to its workplace.

Libyan and foreign workers

Article 51 states that the national workforce should not be less than seventy five per cent, while allowing the competent authority to reduce the percentage temporarily where specified skills are unavailable. Current implementation and any exemption must be confirmed.

Foreign workers require the appropriate labour authorisation. Entry is not permission to work. Qabas coordinates the workforce plan with Libya corporate visa support and current sponsor requirements.

Personnel files and authority reporting

The law requires a worker file recording identity, role, social status, address, remuneration, contract, leave, bonuses, duties and penalties. Article 52 also addresses employer information to the competent employment office.

Qabas builds a controlled file index, reconciles it with payroll, social security and immigration, and identifies missing acknowledgements or filing evidence. The source document and any translation remain traceable.

Discipline and termination

Qabas establishes the contract type, alleged conduct or operational ground, evidence, decision authority, procedure, notice and any required notification before a letter is issued.

Article 71 addresses thirty days of notice by registered letter for an indefinite contract. Articles 72, 73, 76 and 77 address grounds, procedure and potential consequences of unjustified termination. Notice is one part of the decision. It does not cure weak evidence or an unlawful ground.

For active cases, use our Libya employment law service. Qabas preserves the file, manages the process and coordinates licensed counsel if litigation in Libya becomes necessary.

Retained labour law support

Qabas can remain available after the audit through a monthly compliance and decision service. Management receives contract and policy support, change monitoring, risk review and rapid triage for difficult workforce events.

The value is not a binder of law. It is the ability to make a hard decision with the evidence and process already under control.

Frequently Asked Questions