Globalization Partners provides employer of record services for customers that want to hire employees and run payroll without first establishing a branch office or subsidiary in Belarus. Your candidate is hired via Globalization Partners’ Belarus PEO in accordance with local labor laws and can be onboarded in days instead of the months it typically takes. The individual is assigned to work on your team, working on your company’s behalf exactly as if he or she were your employee to fulfill your in-country requirements.
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Our solution enables customers to run payroll in Belarus while HR services, tax, and compliance management matters are lifted from their shoulders onto ours. As a Global PEO expert, we manage employment contract best practices, statutory and market norm benefits, and employee expenses, as well as severance and termination if required. We also keep you apprised of changes to local employment laws in Belarus.
Your new employee is productive sooner, has a better hiring experience and is 100% dedicated to your team. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you have a team of dedicated employment experts assisting with every hire. Globalization Partners allows you to harness the talent of the brightest people in more than 185 countries around the world, quickly and painlessly.
Belarus is a small country in Eastern Europe, bordering on Ukraine and Russia, with a population of 9.5 million people. Business meetings in Belarus should be scheduled in advance and it is very useful if you can find a mutual acquaintance to make the appointment. This acquaintance should lay the groundwork by explaining who you are, the purpose for the meeting, and other details. Belarusian companies are highly bureaucratic so patience is important when negotiating, and you will need to concede on some points to get a deal. Indirect communication is an important aspect of Belarusian culture; pay attention to body language during conversations.
When negotiating terms of an employment contract and offer letter with an employee in Belarus, it may be useful to keep the following standard benefits in Belarus in mind:
Hiring in Belarus
More than 95% of the employed population belongs to a trade union in Belarus. Salaries are generally structured according to a tariff system and are subject to collective labor agreements, labor remuneration agreements, and labor contracts.
When negotiating the terms of an employment contract and offer letter with an employee in Belarus, it may be useful to keep the following standard benefits in Belarus in mind:
Employment Contracts in Belarus
The general rule in Belarus is that employment contracts are executed for an indefinite duration, however, they can also be implemented for:
- a fixed term of no more than 5 years
- a fixed term for a specific project
- the duration of seasonal work
- a temporary period to cover the absence of a worker whose job position remains open.
Working Hours in Belarus
The standard workweek in Belarus consists of 40 hours per week, 8 hours per day.
- Overtime work is allowed only with consent from the employee and with the corresponding overtime pay or additional days off.
- Overtime work is limited to 180 hours per year, provided that it does not exceed 10 hours a week and must be paid at a rate of 100% over regular pay.
- The length of a working day including overtime hours cannot exceed 12 hours.
Holidays in Belarus
Belarus celebrates 9 public holidays for which employees are given the day off, including:
- New Year’s Day
- Orthodox Christmas
- Women’s Day
- Radunitsa
- Labor Day
- Victory Day
- Independence Day
- October Revolution Day
- Catholic Christmas Day
Vacation Days in Belarus
Employees in Belarus are entitled to a minimum of 24 business days off per year.
Belarus Sick Leave
The Social Security system in Belarus funds the payment of sickness benefits. Employees are entitled to 80% pay during the first 12 days of sickness and 100% pay for any days thereafter.
Maternity/Paternity Leave in Belarus
The current maternity leave entitlement in Belarus is as follows:
- 126 days of paid maternity leave (this is increased to 140 days if there are medical complications or if more than one child is born at the same time).
- 3 years of unpaid maternity leave (the job position must be secured for the employee to resume her duties upon her return).
- If the employee has an additional child during the 3 years of unpaid maternity leave mentioned above, the maternity leave entitlement will start again.
Health Insurance in Belarus
Belarusian nationals are entitled to receive public healthcare, however, most employers do provide additional health insurance coverage.
Belarus Supplementary Benefits
Workers in the rapidly growing IT sector pay lower income tax rates, and receive high salaries and Western-style benefits and perks.
Bonuses
The 13th-month bonus in Belarus is considered a gratuity and is not required by local law.
Termination/Severance in Belarus
Probationary period: the employer can set a probationary period in the employment contract. The maximum duration of the probationary period cannot exceed 3 months.
Termination: an employment contract can be terminated under the following circumstances:
- Upon mutual agreement of both parties.
- Expiration of a labor contract (in the case of a fixed term contract).
- If initiated by either the employee or the employer.
- If the employee agrees to be transferred to another employer or gets transferred to an elective position.
- If the employee disagrees with moving to another location required by the employer or disagrees with the new labor conditions of their employment.
- If the contract is terminated after a probationary period.
- Due to circumstances beyond one’s reasonable control (force majeure) and some of the ground.
- If there is not a contract between the employee and employer providing for a notice period, then a notice period of approximately 2 months will apply.
- If the termination is initiated by the employee, then the employee must give at least a 1-month notice.
Severance Pay: if an employee is dismissed, they are entitled to 3 months of severance pay.
Paying Taxes in Belarus
The social security system in Belarus covers payment of sickness and maternity benefits which consist of a 6% contribution from the employer (this also covers family allowances, funeral grants and unemployment benefits.)
In addition, employers must contribute between 0.3% and 0.9% of payroll for Workers Injury benefits and 28% for old age, disability, and survivor pension.
This information is provided as generally accepted information and is not intended as advisory services.
Why Globalization Partners
Establishing a branch office or subsidiary in Belarus to engage a small team is time-consuming, expensive and complex. Belarusian labor law has strong worker protections, requiring great attention to detail and an understanding of local best practices. Globalization Partners makes it painless and easy to expand into Belarus. We can help you hire your candidate of choice, handle HR matters and payroll, and ensure that you’re in compliance with local laws, without the burden of setting up a foreign branch office or subsidiary. Our Belarus PEO and Employer of Record solution provides you peace of mind so that you can focus on running your company.
If you would like to discuss how Globalization Partners can provide a seamless employee leasing or PEO solution for hiring employees in Belarus, please contact us.
