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 Côte d’Ivoire. Your candidate is hired via Globalization Partners’ Côte d’Ivoire 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 Côte d’Ivoire 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 Côte d’Ivoire.
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.
Côte d’Ivoire is located in West Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean, and has a population of over 28 million. The official language is French, but more than 77 other languages are spoken in the country. Côte d’Ivoire’s GDP is USD 68.85 billion and growing at a 6.5% annual rate. Its unemployment rate is 3.5%. Côte d’Ivoire is the world’s largest producer of cocoa, accounting for 30% of the world’s production. Its other major exports include crude oil, coffee, palm oil, and timber.
When negotiating terms of an employment contract and offer letter with an employee in Côte d’Ivoire, it may be useful to keep the following in mind:
Employment Contracts in Côte d’Ivoire
Fixed-term contracts must be put in writing and may renewed without limits for up to 2 years.
It is legally required to put a strong, written employment contract in place in Côte d’Ivoire, in the local language, which spells out the terms of the employee’s compensation, benefits, and termination requirements. An offer letter and employment contract in Côte d’Ivoire should always state the salary and any compensation amounts in West African CFA francs rather than a foreign currency.
Working Hours in Côte d’Ivoire
In general, Côte d’Ivoire has a 40 hour work week of 5, 8-hour days.
Holidays in Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire celebrates 14 public holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Easter Monday
- Labor Day
- Ascension Day
- Whit Monday
- Laila tou-Kadr
- Aid el-Fitr
- Independence Day
- Assumption of Mary
- Aid el-Kebir
- All Saints Day
- National Peace Day
- The Prophet’s Birthday
- Christmas Day
Vacation Days in Côte d’Ivoire
After one year of employment, employees are generally entitled to 26 days of paid annual leave. This increases to 27 days after 5 years of service.
Côte d’Ivoire Sick Leave
Employees are generally eligible for at least 5 days of paid sick leave.
Maternity/Paternity Leave in Côte d’Ivoire
Female employees are generally entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave.
Health Insurance in Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire began enrolling its citizens in a universal health care system in February of 2015. The program’s goal is to charge all citizens age 5 and over 1,000 CFA francs per month for low-cost treatment.
Termination/Severance in Côte d’Ivoire
Probation periods are allowed as follows:
- hourly employees: 8 days
- monthly paid workers: 1 month
- supervisors, technicians, and similar: 2 months
- engineers, managers, high-level technicians, and similar: 3 months
Probation periods may be renewed once, must be put in writing, and the employee must be informed as follows:
- two days before the end of the period of 8 days
- 8 days before the end for a 1 month probation
- 15 days before the end for a 2-3 month probation.
If the worker continues to work after the probation period, the parties become bound by a contract of employment of indeterminate duration.
Fixed-term contracts can only be terminated prior to the agreed term by force majeure, mutual agreement, or serious misconduct by either party.
Indefinite contracts may be terminated by the employee after 6 months of service.
The employer may terminate an indeterminate contract at any time with a valid reason. The employer must notify the employee in writing and follow the notice periods outlined in the employment law which vary by pay level and occupation.
Employees are generally eligible for severance as follows:
- up to 5 years’ service: 30% of monthly wage
- 6-10 years’ service: 35% of monthly wage
- 10+ years’ service: 40% of monthly wage
Paying Taxes in Côte d’Ivoire
Ivorians pay a salary tax of 1.5% on 80% of their gross income. They also pay a progressive national contribution tax on 80% of their salary.
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 Côte d’Ivoire to engage a small team is time-consuming, expensive and complex. Côte d’Ivoire’s 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 Côte d’Ivoire. 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 Côte d’Ivoire 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 Côte d’Ivoire, please contact us.
