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Labour & Employment

Our Firm regularly advises both domestic and international clients at all stages of the employment and industrial relationship. Our services are often sought by employers who seek clarity on the intricate regulatory framework that governs labour and employment in Sri Lanka, and to assist them in understanding all facets of the employer-employee relationship, from contract formation to termination.

We regularly advise foreign law firms and international clients regarding basic terms of employment in Sri Lanka, employment benefits, handling and processing of employee data, incentives and remuneration, contributions to social welfare funds, gratuity pensions and superannuation, dispute resolution, and occupational health and safety.

In addition, we draft and prepare organisational rules and codes of conduct that legitimately balances the interests of both employers and employees, as well as, documents pertaining to the development of welfare funds, employee share ownership trusts, and other arrangements aimed at providing incentives to employees. Further, we also draft and advise on employment contracts for permanent, fixed-term, and temporary employees.

Our team regularly advises foreign clients who are keen on setting up operations in Sri Lanka on matters such as the legality of proposed employment arrangements, ensuring conformity of their existing contracts rules and policies with our domestic labour regulations, and in respect of options available for termination of employment. We regularly prepare labour and employment guidelines for foreign Governments, international agencies, and overseas law firms.

Our practical advice enables foreign clients to make a smooth transition from the planning stage to actually setting up operations in Sri Lanka.

We also guide expatriate workers on the procurement of work visas for themselves and often their families, assisting them at every stage of the process. The members of the Labour & Employment practice collaborate with the Firm's Litigation practice to deal with all aspects of labour related disputes, acting for and representing employer and employee clients in Labour Department proceedings, and at the Labour Tribunals.