Last Change:
03/12/2025
Law n° 66/2018 of 30/08/2018 regulating labour in Rwanda
Year: 2018
Type: Domestic law
Rights Category: Work & Workplace rights
Description
Rwanda’s Law N° 66/2018 govern labour and aligns with international standards, particularly those of the International Labour Organization (ILO). It sets the minimum employment age at 16, allows , and prohibits hazardous child labour. The law regulates employment contracts, mandates damages for unlawful termination (ranging from three to nine months' salary), ensures non-discrimination in the workplace, and applies to both formal and informal sectors in areas like occupational health, social security, and child labour prevention.
Selected provisions
Collective labour disputes arising in the area of a labour inspector are notified to a labour inspector.
Collective disputes extending beyond an area of a labour inspector not settled by the Labour Inspector at the national level or not settled due to their nature or the conflict of interests, are brought before the Minister in charge of labour.
An Order of the Minister in charge of labour determines the organisation, functioning of labour inspection and procedure for labour disputes settlement.
The employees’ representatives amicably settle individual labour disputes between employers and employees.
If employees’ representatives fail to settle the disputes amicably, the concerned party refers the matter to the labour inspector of the area where enterprise is located.
If the Labour Inspector of the area where an enterprise is located fails to settle the dispute due to the nature of the case or the conflict of interests, he/she refers the dispute to the Labour Inspector at the national level stating grounds to refer such a dispute.
If amicable settlement fails before a labour inspector of the area where an enterprise is located or before the Labour Inspector at the national level, the case is referred to the competent court. However, the court can decide not to receive the case after determining that steps for amicable settlement provided for in this Article have not been followed.
As used in this Law, the following terms have the meanings ascribed to them below:
17 º unfair dismissal: termination of employment contract by the employer without legitimate reasons or respecting procedures provided for by law;