Employee labour guarantees and rights in Uzbekistan

An employee is entitled to formally recorded work, full and timely pay, rest and safe conditions, to associate with other employees and to defend an infringed right. Contract terms may improve these guarantees but may not remove the statutory minimum. Core employee rights (Article 21 LC)

In brief:

• labour guarantees apply from actual admission to work by an authorised person, even if the documents have not yet been completed;
• discrimination, forced labour and demands to perform non-contractual, unlawful or dangerous work are prohibited;
• the employer must ensure pay, rest, occupational safety, mandatory insurance and compensation for harm caused;
• pregnant employees, employees with family responsibilities, minors and persons with disabilities receive additional protection;
• if a right is infringed, record the circumstances and demand in writing, collect the documents and choose the appropriate remedy.

Updated: 04 September 2026

What are an employee’s core rights

The Labour Code governs individual employment relations and relations directly connected with them. As a general rule it also covers relations containing a foreign element. Exceptions include service members performing military duties, supervisory-board members without employment contracts and service providers under genuine civil-law contracts. Scope of the Code (Article 11 LC)

The core rights fall into five groups: work under a contract; full and timely pay; rest; safety, training and information; and representation, compensation and dispute resolution. An employer may give more rights in a contract or local policy, but cannot reduce the statutory floor (Article 16 LC). A term that worsens the employee’s position is inapplicable from its adoption, while the rest of the contract remains in force. Invalidity of a term (Article 17 LC)

How does the law prevent discrimination and forced labour

Direct or indirect restrictions or advantages based on sex, age, race, nationality, language, social origin, a relative’s criminal record, property or official status, residence, religion, beliefs, membership of public associations or another circumstance unrelated to business qualities and work results are prohibited. Objective requirements of a particular job and special protection for vulnerable people are not discrimination. An affected person may demand removal of the discrimination, material damages and compensation for non-pecuniary harm. Prohibition of discrimination (Article 4 LC)

Forced labour is also prohibited. The prohibition does not cover obligations arising from military or alternative service, work during a state of emergency or martial law, or work under a final court judgment performed under state supervision. Exceptions to the prohibition (Article 5 LC)

What guarantees apply to hiring and an employment contract

An employer may not demand work outside the contract, unlawful actions, conduct that threatens life or health, or conduct that harms honour, dignity or business reputation. Limits of the job function (Article 115 LC)

If hiring is refused, the applicant may request a signed written explanation, which must be provided within three days. No reply does not prevent a challenge. The employer bears the burden of proving that the refusal was lawful, while the applicant may seek the job, material damages and compensation for non-pecuniary harm. Reasons for refusal (Article 119 LC), applicant’s remedy (Article 120 LC)

Actual admission by an authorised person means the employment relationship arose on the first working day. The employer must complete the contract and order within three days. Actual admission (Article 128 LC) If a civil-law contract actually conceals personal performance of an employment function under the employer’s direction, a court may recognise employment from the first day of work. Reclassification of a contract (Article 33 LC)

What rights concern pay and rest

Employees are guaranteed equal pay for work of equal value, payment regardless of the employer’s financial position, compliance with payment dates and form, higher-rate pay in special conditions and limits on deductions. Pay guarantees (Article 244 LC)

Pay for a fully completed monthly norm cannot be below the minimum wage. Bonuses, overtime, night and public-holiday supplements and other compensation payments are excluded from that floor. Minimum-wage rule (Article 245 LC) From 1 September 2026 the minimum wage is 1.360.000 soums per month.

Payment frequency, supplements and deductions are covered in Salary and wage payments. Working time and rest days are explained in Working hours and leave, while annual leave rules are in Employment leave.

What occupational-safety rights does an employee have

An employee is entitled to a safe workplace, accurate risk information, personal protective equipment, mandatory insurance, training, an inspection of conditions and participation in an accident investigation. The employee may also refuse dangerous work, request an additional medical examination and receive retraining if a workplace is eliminated for safety reasons. Occupational-safety rights (Article 355 LC)

If a threat to life or health arises, the employee must immediately inform a supervisor and may stop dangerous work until the threat is removed; average pay is preserved. Refusal of dangerous work (Article 358 LC) When operations are suspended for safety violations, the job and average pay are preserved. If mandatory protective equipment was not issued, the employer cannot demand work and must pay for downtime. Guarantees during suspension (Article 356 LC)

Employer-funded mandatory medical examinations cover, among others, minors, people of retirement age and persons with disabilities, as well as employees in hazardous, night, transport, food, retail, public-service, educational and child-care work. The job and average pay are preserved during the examination. Medical examinations (Article 360 LC) In prescribed jobs the employer provides preventive nutrition, milk or equivalent food, drinking water, special clothing, footwear, protective and hygiene equipment free of charge and pays for its maintenance. Protective supplies (Article 363 LC)

What guarantees protect particular employees

When is pay preserved and work-related expenditure reimbursed

Guarantee payments replace salary when an employee cannot perform ordinary work for a recognised reason; guarantee supplements cover part of lost earnings. Meaning of the payments (Article 279 LC) They apply, for example, during collective bargaining, public duties, employer-directed training, a mandatory examination, annual leave, a business trip, a safety transfer, an internal inquiry and enforced absence. The complete statutory list appears in Article 280 LC. Guarantee supplements and payments also include additional pay for special schedules, severance and temporary-incapacity benefit. Types of supplement (Article 281 LC)

Compensation payments reimburse work-related expenses, including business travel, relocation, use of employee property and other prescribed cases. Compensation cases (Article 286 LC) A business trip entails reimbursement of travel, accommodation, per diem and approved expenditure. Business-trip expenditure (Article 287 LC) The employer pays the full cost of a mandatory examination, while use of personal property is compensated under an agreement. Examination cost (Article 292 LC), personal property (Article 293 LC)

For relocation to another locality, reimbursement covers travel for the employee and family, carriage of up to 500 kg for the employee and 500 kg for each relocating family member, per diem and housing. The one-off relocation allowance equals one monthly tariff rate plus one third of that rate for each family member who relocates within 12 months. Relocation guarantees (Article 289 LC)

Example. With a monthly tariff rate of 6,000,000 soums and relocation with a spouse and one child, the allowance is 6,000,000 + 2 × 2,000,000 = 10,000,000 soums. Travel, carriage, per diem and housing are reimbursed separately under the applicable documents and limits.

How is harm from a workplace accident compensated

The employer is liable for harm to health during employment duties, including outside its premises and in employer-provided transport, unless it proves absence of fault. For a source of heightened danger, force majeure or the injured person’s intent is the exception. Basis of liability (Article 321 LC) The employer must carry mandatory civil-liability insurance. Insurance obligation (Article 4 of the Law)

Compensation comprises a lump-sum allowance, monthly lost-earnings payments and additional expenditure. Components of compensation (Article 322 LC) The lump sum cannot be below annual earnings. The monthly payment corresponds to the percentage loss of occupation-linked work capacity and, for an injured person who becomes disabled, cannot be below 50% of the minimum wage. Minimum lump sum (Article 323 LC), monthly payment (Article 324 LC)

Where medically necessary, the employer additionally reimburses treatment, prostheses, medicines, care, sanatorium treatment, travel, special transport and successful legal-representation costs if the person has no right to receive them free. Additional expenditure (Article 325 LC) If an employee dies, the lump-sum allowance for dependants cannot be below six average annual earnings. Payment to the family (Article 330 LC)

Example. If average monthly pay was 6,000,000 soums and loss of occupation-linked work capacity is assessed at 40%, the monthly payment is 2,400,000 soums. The lump-sum allowance must be at least 72,000,000 soums. Actual additional expenditure is calculated separately.

The employer considers an application and decides within ten days, then issues a copy of the decision or a reasoned refusal within three days. Following refusal or disagreement, the dispute may go to court. Application procedure (Article 336 LC)

How do a trade union and collective agreement protect employees

Employees may form or join a trade union without prior permission; membership or non-membership cannot restrict employment rights. Freedom of association (Article 37 LC) A union may represent an employee, participate in occupational safety and accident investigations, and apply to court. Union court action (Article 27 of the Law), safety oversight (Article 33 of the Law)

The employer gives union representatives workplace access, necessary information and time for public duties—at least 30% of a working week in the prescribed cases. Representation conditions (Article 18 of the Law) Serving and former elected representatives receive special protection in disciplinary and termination matters. Serving representatives (Article 15 of the Law), former representatives (Article 17 of the Law)

A collective agreement may govern pay and indexation, employment, training, working time, rest, safety, insurance and additional benefits. Agreement content (Article 67 LC) Less favourable, discriminatory or coercive terms are invalid. Limits of the agreement (Article 68 LC) It operates for up to three years and then remains effective until a new or amended agreement; it covers all employees, including those hired later. Duration (Article 71 LC), employee coverage (Article 72 LC) The employer obtains a signed acknowledgment within ten days after it takes effect and when hiring. Acknowledgment (Article 78 LC)

What must the employer document and provide

The employer must comply with employment law and agreements, provide the contracted work, prevent discrimination and forced labour, maintain a safe workplace and equipment, pay salary fully and on time, record working time, disclose local policies, provide training, give representatives information, insure liability and compensate harm. It must also obey control-body orders and employment-dispute decisions. Employer obligations (Article 25 LC)

The practical document set depends on the case but normally includes the employment contract and order, entries in the electronic employment system, time sheet, pay calculation, occupational-safety records, medical examinations, training and protective-equipment records. In a dispute, employee applications, employer replies, reports, correspondence and payment documents also matter.

Liability for violations and the calculation of sanctions are covered in Employer liability. Lawful termination rules are explained in Dismissal of an employee.

What changed in 2025–2026

• Decree UP-206 of 3 November 2025 introduced the new system’s stages: maternity benefits are assigned through the State Social Insurance Fund from 1 January 2026, and temporary-incapacity benefits from 1 July 2026.
• Resolution 796 of 17 December 2025 set sick-pay coefficients at 60% for an insurance record of 6 to 96 months and 80% from 97 months; the employer pays the first five days and the Fund from day six. Allocation of payment Maternity-benefit coefficients are 75%, 85% and 100%, while the calculation base is capped at ten times the minimum wage. Benefit coefficients, calculation cap From 13 August 2026, Resolution 440 of 13 August 2026 added a 20-percentage-point uplift for the listed protected groups; only one uplift applies.
• Resolution 819 of 24 December 2025 approved regulations effective from 25 December 2025 on occupational-safety organisation, training and knowledge testing, and the employee-elected representative. Training and testing Employees elect the representative by open vote for at least one year. Term of office
• Order 3881 of 1 July 2026 introduces an updated risk-criteria system for state supervision of employment-law compliance from 3 October 2026. That procedure is not yet in force on the article’s update date.

How can an employee defend an infringed right

The law permits self-protection, state and public supervision, conciliation and mediation, an employment-disputes commission and court proceedings; the employee chooses the method. Methods of protection (Article 529 LC) For self-protection, the employee gives written notice and may refuse directly dangerous, non-contractual or unlawful work. Written notice (Article 531 LC) Obstructing lawful self-protection or retaliating for it is prohibited. No retaliation (Article 532 LC)

1. Record the date, event and demand; preserve the contract, order, time sheet, payslip, correspondence, medical and payment documents.
2. Deliver a written application to the employer against acknowledgment or by a method that proves delivery.
3. If the infringement is not remedied, choose the State Labour Inspectorate, trade union, employment-disputes commission, mediation or court. Inspectorate authority (Article 535 LC)
4. The employee may choose the commission or court, and may refer the dispute to a mediator before the court delivers its act. Choice of forum (Article 545 LC)

The limitation period is three months for reinstatement and six months for most other employee claims. No limitation period applies to harm to life or health or to non-pecuniary harm; mediation suspends the running of time. Filing periods (Article 560 LC) Employees are exempt from court costs on individual employment claims. Court-cost exemption (Article 562 LC)

Commission procedure, preparing a claim and court protection are covered in Employment disputes. The correct route depends on the infringement and the result sought.

Frequently asked questions

Which prevails: the employment contract or the Labour Code?

A contract may give an employee more rights and benefits. Terms that worsen the employee’s position compared with the law and applicable collective instruments are invalid and do not cancel the remaining terms of the contract.

Can an employee refuse dangerous work?

Yes. The employee must immediately notify a supervisor of the threat and may refuse the work until it is removed. The law preserves average pay and prohibits disciplinary retaliation for lawful self-protection.

Where can an employee seek protection of employment rights?

Depending on the desired result, an employee may approach the employer, trade union, State Labour Inspectorate, employment-disputes commission, mediator or court. The employee chooses among the legally available methods.

What is the period for applying to court?

It is three months for a reinstatement claim and six months for most other employee claims. There is no limitation period for harm to life or health or compensation for non-pecuniary harm.

Are rights preserved if no written contract was completed?

Yes, if an authorised person actually admitted the employee to work. The employment relationship is treated as arising on the first day and the employer must complete the documents within three days.