Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 (the New Labour Law) introduces a comprehensive overhaul of the private-sector labour framework, which was previously governed by Labour Law No. 12 of 2003 (the Old Labour Law). The new legislation updates the conceptual framework of employment, expands employee protections, modernises regulatory tools, and formalises several practices that were previously loosely governed. It introduces clearer definitions, new compliance obligations, alternative forms of employment, and stricter rules on termination and dispute resolution. By comparing the new provisions with the old law, the major areas of legal change become clear and traceable.
Scope of Application and Definitions
One of the early shifts appears in the determination of who falls under the New Labour Law. Under Article 4 of the Old Labour Law, several categories (including family members supported by the employer) were excluded. In contrast, the New Labour Law defines its application more broadly in Article 1 by adopting a general rule that governs all private-sector employment relationships unless expressly exempted by the law.
The definitional pillars of the law are also modernised. Article 1 now provides structured definitions of basic wage, variable wage, and other remuneration components. Article 1 of the New Labour Law additionally introduces legal definitions for harassment, bullying, and forced labour (concepts that were not expressly regulated under the Old Labour Law). Articles 4 and 5 collectively prohibit discrimination in job advertisement, hiring, employment conditions, promotion, website training and contractual rights, reinforcing the shift towards a rights-based approach in the workplace.