President ratifies 9th amendment to Employment Act
Amendments to the Employment Act have introduced provisions allowing parents time off for childcare until a child reaches two years of age following the conclusion of maternity or paternity leave, while also officially designating May Day as a public holiday. Furthermore, the legislative changes grant the Cabinet the authority to exempt small businesses from paying quota fees required for the recruitment of expatriate workers.
President signs ninth amendment to the Employment Act into law. | President's Office | Presidents Office
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ratified the 9th amendment to the Employment Act (Law No. 2/2008).
This bill was passed by the 20th People’s Majlis during the 5th sitting of its first session for the year 2026, held on Sunday, March 8, 2026.
On Saturday, the President's Office stated that the purpose of this amendment is to strengthen the procedures for terminating employment agreements between employers and employees, and to review the quota fees mandated by law for recruiting expatriate workers. Additionally, the amendment outlines the criteria for exempting certain parties from quota fee payments and aims to resolve existing challenges in law enforcement to ensure the protection and delivery of rights for both employers and employees.
Among the amendments introduced is a provision granting employees time for childcare from the day they return to work following maternity leave until the child reaches two years of age. Furthermore, the bill stipulates that the Cabinet may exempt certain employers categorized as micro, small, and medium enterprises from paying specific quota fees required under the law. Additionally, International Workers' Day has been officially designated as a public holiday under the Act.
