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Egypt’s Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 regulates employment contracts, wages, working hours, leave, resignation, termination and dispute resolution. It replaced Labour Law No. 12 of 2003, subject to transitional provisions and the protection of previously obtained rights and benefits.

When was the new Labour Law issued and implemented?

The law was issued and published in the Official Gazette on 3 May 2025. Its issuing provisions stated that it would take effect on the first day of the month following the expiry of ninety days from publication. It therefore became effective on 1 September 2025. The specialised labour court system began operating on 1 October 2025.

The law repealed Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 while protecting wages and benefits previously obtained under applicable laws, regulations, systems, agreements and internal decisions. Review the employment contract and workplace rules alongside the statutory provisions.

Who is covered by Labour Law No. 14 of 2025?

This guide focuses on private-sector employment relationships governed by the law. Its provisions also apply to foreign workers in Egypt where no special provision addresses the matter in individual employment contracts or collective employment agreements.

Unless a specific provision states otherwise, the law does not apply to employees of state bodies, including local administration units and public authorities, or to domestic workers and similar categories. Where an employer operates under a special legal regime, confirm the applicable rules before relying on a general provision.

What are the main employment contract rules?

Fixed-term and indefinite-term contracts

An individual employment contract may be indefinite or fixed-term where the nature of the work requires a fixed duration. The parties may agree to renew the contract for further similar periods.

The law treats a contract as indefinite in specified circumstances, including where the contract is unwritten, does not state a duration, or continues to be performed after its expiry without a written agreement between the parties.

Four copies of the written contract

The employer must prepare the Arabic employment contract in four copies: one for the employer, one for the employee, one for the competent social-insurance office and one for the competent administrative authority. Where no written contract exists, the law permits proof of the employment relationship and the rights arising from it through the applicable means of evidence.

Probation

The probationary period must be specified in the contract, may not exceed three months and may not be imposed more than once by the same employer.

If you work without a written contract, read the guide to working without a contract and social insurance in Egypt to organise relevant evidence and questions.

Is the annual increment 3% of the total salary?

The law provides for an annual periodic increment of at least 3% of the social-insurance wage, becoming due after one year from appointment or from the date the previous periodic increment became due.

The social-insurance wage is not necessarily the employee’s total take-home pay. Review insurance records, salary statements, the employment contract and any more favourable existing benefits before calculating the increment.

Where economic circumstances make payment difficult, the matter must be referred to the National Council for Wages under the statutory procedure for consideration of a reduction or exemption. An employer’s unilateral announcement is not a substitute for that process.

Wage payment and evidence of outstanding amounts

The law regulates wage payment dates and prohibits withholding an employee’s wage, or part of it, without a lawful basis. Keep salary statements, bank transfers, payment receipts and correspondence identifying the amounts and payment dates in dispute.

If your issue concerns delayed or unpaid wages, read the guide to delayed salary payments and employee rights in Egypt.

Working hours and rest periods

As a general rule, actual working time must not exceed eight hours per day or forty-eight hours per week. Meal and rest periods are not included in actual working time.

Working time must include one or more meal and rest breaks totalling at least one hour. Employees should normally not work for more than five consecutive hours without a break. Statutory exceptions and special overtime rules apply to certain work and circumstances.

Keep attendance records and instructions concerning overtime or work on weekly rest days. Additional pay and any exceptions require an assessment of the working arrangements and applicable provisions.

Annual leave under the new Labour Law

The law sets paid annual leave entitlements. Official holidays and weekly rest days are not counted within these entitlements:

Where service is shorter than a year, leave is calculated proportionately, provided the employee has completed six months with the employer. Additional leave applies to certain work and locations specified under the relevant provisions and decisions.

Distinguish entitlement from leave actually taken: the law separately requires employees to receive at least fifteen days of actual annual leave, including six consecutive days. This scheduling rule does not reduce every employee’s annual entitlement to fifteen days.

The employer schedules leave according to business requirements, while accrued leave and any cash equivalent are governed by the statutory rules. Keep leave requests and written approvals or refusals where a dispute arises.

Emergency and sick leave

Emergency leave

An employee may be absent for an emergency for up to seven days during the year, with a maximum of two days on each occasion. These days are deducted from the employee’s annual leave entitlement.

Sick leave

The competent medical authority determines sick leave, and wage compensation is governed by the Social Insurance and Pensions Law. Special provisions apply to employees in the industrial establishments covered by the relevant text, so a single payment percentage should not be presented as applying to every employee.

Rights during pregnancy and after childbirth

• Four months of paid maternity leave covering the periods before and after childbirth, with at least forty-five days after childbirth, subject to the medical certificate and statutory requirements. The entitlement is limited to three occasions throughout service.
• A reduction of at least one hour in daily working time from the sixth month of pregnancy.
• No overtime work during pregnancy and until the end of six months following childbirth.
• Return to the same or an equivalent position following maternity leave, with the statutory protection against dismissal during that leave.
• Two breastfeeding breaks of at least thirty minutes each during the two years following childbirth, counted as working time without wage reduction.

The relationship between employer-paid maternity wages and social-insurance compensation must be assessed under the applicable provisions, alongside any more favourable benefits.

Terminating an indefinite-term contract and notice

The law provides for three months’ written notice to the other party when terminating an indefinite-term contract. Termination must be based on a legitimate and sufficient reason. Do not apply this rule automatically to the expiry of every fixed-term contract without reviewing the contract and the reason the relationship ended.

Where notice is issued by the employer, the employee is entitled to one full paid day per week or eight paid hours per week to seek another job, subject to the statutory advance-notification procedure.

Specific provisions regulate the start of notice, exemption from attendance and wages during the notice period. Review the written notice and the date it was received rather than relying only on a verbal arrangement.

Compensation for unlawful termination

If an employer terminates an indefinite-term contract for an unlawful reason, the law provides compensation of at least two months’ wages for each year of service, without prejudice to other statutory rights.

Reasons that do not constitute a legitimate basis for termination include, under the applicable provisions, filing a complaint or claim concerning the employer’s breach of law or contract, exercising statutory leave or trade-union rights, and prohibited discriminatory reasons.

This minimum does not mean compensation is automatically due in every disagreement. Contract type, the reason for termination, evidence and the appropriate claims and procedures must be assessed.

Resignation and withdrawal

A resignation must be written, signed by the employee or a specially authorised representative, and authenticated by the competent administrative authority. The employee must continue working while it is considered within the statutory period. If no decision is made within ten days of submission, it is deemed accepted.

The employee may withdraw the resignation within ten days of being notified of acceptance. The withdrawal must also be written and authenticated by the competent administrative authority. An informal message should not be assumed to satisfy the statutory procedure.

Read the guide to resignation letters and procedures in Egypt, and have any resignation or release reviewed before relying on it.

When can absence be treated as resignation?

The law regulates treating an employee as resigned where absence without a legitimate justification exceeds twenty intermittent days in one year or ten consecutive days, subject to the required written warning and procedures.

The warning must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt after ten days of absence in the first situation, and five days in the second. The number of days alone does not resolve the issue: review the reasons for absence, leave records, warnings and how they were sent.

Labour-office complaints and the Labour Court

A complaint to the competent administrative authority is different from commencing Labour Court proceedings. The law regulates requesting amicable settlement of an individual dispute within ten days of the dispute arising, without prejudice to the right to litigate. The settlement committee must complete its work within twenty-one days of the request.

If settlement is not reached, the law provides for referral to the competent Labour Court at either party’s request. Article 150 regulates setting a hearing within no more than twenty days from receipt of the request by the court registry. These periods do not mean every dispute ends in a final judgment within twenty-one days.

• How to File a Labour Office Complaint Online in Egypt
• After Filing a Labour Complaint: Settlement and Court Steps

Which documents should employees keep?

• The employment contract, annexes and written amendments.
• Salary statements, bank transfers and payment receipts.
• HR correspondence, warnings and investigation records.
• Leave requests and approvals or refusals.
• Attendance records and instructions concerning overtime.
• Termination letters, resignations, releases and settlements.
• Complaint references, filing evidence and notification dates.

How to prepare for an employment consultation

Write a chronological summary covering the start of employment, contract type, salary, the problem and the employer’s latest action. Identify your main questions and the amounts in dispute, and organise relevant documents.

Browse professional profiles on the website and select a lawyer whose experience suits your issue. Check the consultation price, duration and scope in the app. Do not assume a session automatically includes filing a complaint, preparing a notice or court representation; agree on additional services and fees with the lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 repealed?

Yes. Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 repealed it, subject to transitional provisions and the protection of previously obtained rights and benefits.

When did the new law become effective?

It became effective on 1 September 2025. The specialised labour court system began operating on 1 October 2025.

Is the annual increment 3% of total salary?

The statutory minimum is 3% of the social-insurance wage, subject to eligibility requirements and any more favourable employee benefits.

Is annual leave limited to fifteen days?

No. Entitlement varies by service, age and category. The requirement to take at least fifteen days, including six consecutive days, is a separate leave-scheduling rule.

What is the termination notice period?

The law provides for three months’ written notice for indefinite-term contracts, subject to the applicable termination and notice provisions.

What is the minimum compensation for unlawful termination?

Where an employer unlawfully terminates an indefinite-term contract, the statutory compensation is at least two months’ wages for each year of service, without prejudice to other rights.

Legal Source

Official Gazette text of Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 — Arabic PDF hosted on a government website.