President Approves Amendments to Uzbekistan’s Labor Code

On February 13, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved amendments to Uzbekistan’s Labor Code, introducing important updates that affect vacation compensation, unpaid leave, and employee protections.

Unused Vacation Compensation

Previously, Article 234 of the Labor Code required employers to pay monetary compensation for all unused vacation days upon resignation, as well as for any vacation taken beyond the mandatory 21 calendar days. Under the new amendments, Sundays are no longer counted when calculating this compensation. This means that if a Sunday falls within the period of unused vacation, payment will not be provided for that day. As a result, compensation amounts may be slightly lower than before in cases of dismissal or when part of the vacation is replaced with monetary payment.

Unpaid Leave Rules Updated

Changes were also made to unpaid leave under Article 241. The maximum duration of unpaid leave remains three months, but the calculation period has been revised. Previously, the three-month limit was measured within a calendar year (January to December). Now, the limit applies to any consecutive twelve-month period starting from the date of the last unpaid leave. This prevents employees from taking three months at the end of one year and then immediately taking another three months at the beginning of the next year.

Additional Employee Protections

The amendments also strengthen workplace protections. Employers are now prohibited from dismissing employees due to pregnancy or because they have children. In addition, the hiring process has been simplified, as passports and work books will no longer be required when starting a new job.

These changes mark a significant step in modernizing Uzbekistan’s labor regulations, with direct impacts on both employees and employers.