Labour law in Suriname: the basics

Working hours, overtime, annual leave, sickness, maternity leave and the minimum wage are set by law in Suriname, and most rules cannot be changed to the employee's disadvantage. Since 1 May 2025 the employment contract is governed by Book 7 of the new Civil Code. This guide sets out the rules for employers and employees, with the article numbers.

On this page (19)

• Which laws apply
• What changed with the new Civil Code
• Contract, probation and paying wages
• Working hours, breaks and rest days
• Overtime
• Public holidays
• Annual leave and leave allowance
• Sickness and special leave
• Pregnancy, maternity and paternity leave
• Minimum wage
• Equal treatment, violence and harassment
• Young workers and child labour
• Health and safety
• Collective agreements and unions
• Dismissal in brief
• Where to get help
• Where employers slip up
• Sources
• Frequently asked questions

Which laws apply

Surinamese labour law is not in one act. These are the main rules for employees in the private sector. Civil servants (landsdienaren) fall under the Personnel Act (Personeelswet), which this guide does not cover.

Law	What it covers
Civil Code, Book 7, title 10 (S.B. 2024 no. 164)	The employment contract: pay, sickness, family leave, equal treatment of men and women, probation, notice periods, dismissal bans, summary dismissal, reference letter
Labour Act 1963 (Arbeidswet)	Working hours, breaks, rest days, night work, overtime and its premiums, the working-hours list and staff register
Annual Leave Act 1975 (Vacantiewet)	Leave days, leave allowance, leave register, payout when employment ends
Minimum Wage Act (S.B. 2019 no. 101)	The statutory minimum hourly wage and the National Wage Council
Family Labour Protection Act (Wet Arbeidsbescherming Gezin, S.B. 2019 no. 64)	The Parental Leave Fund and its 1% contribution. The leave rules themselves have been in Book 7 since 1 May 2025.
Dismissal Act 2018 (Ontslagwet, S.B. 2018 no. 94)	The dismissal permit, the Dismissal Committee and reporting summary dismissals
Equal Treatment in Employment Act (S.B. 2022 no. 137)	No discrimination in hiring, pay, promotion or dismissal; equal pay for work of equal value
Violence and Sexual Harassment at Work Act (S.B. 2022 no. 136)	Ban on violence, harassment and bullying; mandatory policy and complaints committee
Child and Youth Labour Act (S.B. 2018 no. 76)	Child labour and work by people under 18
Safety Act 1947 and Accidents Regulation (Ongevallenregeling)	Workplace safety and work accidents
Collective Agreements Act (S.B. 2016 no. 152) and Freedom of Association Act (S.B. 2016 no. 151)	Collective agreements (CAO) and the right to join a union

Enforcement is done by the Labour Inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie). Note: since 16 July 2025 the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Youth Affairs (AWJ) no longer exists in its old form. Labour now falls under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour (VWA) (S.B. 2025 no. 94). Older forms and leaflets still say AWJ.

What changed with the new Civil Code

The new Civil Code took effect on 1 May 2025. The employment contract is now in Book 7, title 10 (articles 610 to 690). According to the explanatory memorandum to the Adaptation Act (S.B. 2024 no. 168), the civil-law parts of the Dismissal Act 2018, the Family Labour Protection Act and the Act on converting fixed-term contracts were moved into Book 7 largely word for word. Most content stayed the same, but the location and article numbers changed.

Subject	Old	Since 1 May 2025
Definition of employment contract	art. 1613a Civil Code	art. 7:610
Probation period	art. 1615l Civil Code	art. 7:652
Urgent reason (summary dismissal)	art. 1615p Civil Code	art. 7:678
Dismissal bans (sickness, pregnancy, union)	arts. 6 to 9 Dismissal Act 2018	arts. 7:670 to 670c
Maternity and paternity leave	arts. 2 to 8 Family Labour Protection Act	arts. 7:633a to 633h
Fixed-term contract becomes permanent	Conversion Act (S.B. 2018 no. 93)	arts. 7:667a to 667g

A few Book 7 rules that are often missed in practice:

• Presumed employment (art. 7:610a): someone who works for pay for another person for three months in a row, at least 8 hours a week or at least 35 hours a month, is presumed to be an employee. Calling it "freelance" does not change much.
• At least three hours' pay per call-in (art. 7:628a) on a contract of under 15 hours a week without fixed times.
• A payslip with every payment (arts. 7:626 and 7:667d), showing gross pay, allowances, deductions, premiums and the exchange rate used if pay is agreed in foreign currency.
• A written statement of terms at the employee's request (art. 7:655): job, place, start date, pay, hours, leave, notice periods, pension and the applicable CAO.
• Company rules (reglement) only bind an employee if they are in Dutch, the employee accepted them in writing, a copy is lodged with the registry of the cantonal court and they are posted visibly (art. 7:613a).

Contract, probation and paying wages

• Probation: only in writing, the same for both parties and at most two months, including when several probation periods follow each other (art. 7:652). During probation either party can end the contract immediately.
• Fixed-term contracts: at a fourth consecutive contract, or after more than 24 months (gaps of up to three months count), the last contract counts as permanent (art. 7:667c). The employer must then give a signed statement that the contract is open-ended (art. 7:667e).
• Pay period: time-based pay is paid after the end of each period, at least once a month and not more often than weekly (art. 7:623).
• Late payment: if the delay is the employer's fault, from the fourth working day after payday the employee is entitled to a surcharge of 5% a day up to the eighth working day, then 1% a day, up to half of the overdue pay (art. 7:625).
• Pay in USD or EUR is allowed if agreed, but the employee may demand payment in SRD from the second following payday (art. 7:620).
• Deductions: the employer may only set off damages owed, fines under a written contract or company rules, written advances, overpaid wages and rent agreed in writing (art. 7:632). Fines may not exceed half a day's pay per week in total and may not benefit the employer personally (art. 7:650).
• Non-compete clause: only in writing and with an adult employee. A court can reduce it (art. 7:653).

Work out gross to net with the Net salary calculator and the Payslip generator. The total cost of an employee (AOV, pension, basic health insurance, the 1% for the Fund) is in Employer costs.

Working hours, breaks and rest days

Rule	What the Labour Act says
Maximum working time	8.5 hours a day or 48 hours a week (art. 3)
Security guards	Guarding only: up to 12 hours a day or 72 a week. Mainly guarding: up to 10 hours a day or 60 a week (art. 4)
Break	On days of more than 6 hours: an unbroken break of at least 30 minutes after no more than 5 hours. Breaks under 15 minutes count as working time (art. 9)
Sundays and public holidays	No work unless the Labour Inspectorate grants a permit. Each Sunday worked is replaced by a 24-hour rest day in the same week (arts. 8 and 10)
Night	No work between 19:00 and 06:00 unless under a permit (arts. 8 and 10). Security guards are exempt
Half day off	One half working day off a week (the part before or after 13:00), chosen by the employer taking the employees' wishes into account (art. 8)
Two jobs	Combined hours may not exceed what one employer may allow. The employee must inform both employers (art. 5)

The Sunday and night work permit is meant for, among others, industry, hospitality, cinemas and garages (art. 10). If your staff routinely work more than 8.5 hours a day, you need a working-time schedule approved by the Labour Inspectorate, valid for up to one year at a time (art. 11).

Records. Every business must have a working-hours list (arbeidslijst) with start and end times, breaks and rest days per group of employees, posted visibly at the workplace. A signed copy and every change go to the Head of the Labour Inspectorate before they take effect. There must also be a staff register (arbeidsregister) with the name, date of birth and sex of every employee (art. 24). Track hours with the Timesheet and weekly pay.

Overtime

Situation	At least
Overtime on a normal working day	150%
Work outside agreed hours, within the legal limit	150%
Overtime on a rest day	200%
Work on a Sunday or public holiday	200%
Holiday worked without a replacement rest day (agreed in writing or by CAO)	300%

The percentages apply to basic hourly pay (arts. 12, 13, 15 and 16 Labour Act). So a part-timer who works more hours than agreed also gets 150%. A collective agreement (CAO) may set different rules; for senior staff this can also be done in a written contract (art. 16).

Overtime beyond 8.5 hours a day or 48 hours a week requires a permit from the Head of the Labour Inspectorate, up to 64 hours a week (art. 6). In exceptional cases the Minister can allow up to 72 hours a week and 2,900 hours a year. Businesses facing sudden emergencies can get an authorisation for up to one year; each use must be reported in writing beforehand (art. 7). Calculate the amount with the Overtime calculator; overtime pay has its own wage tax rate, see Income tax 2026.

Public holidays

The official days off are listed in the Rest Days Decree 1971 (Besluit Rustdagen) and count as Sundays under the Labour Act. If a holiday does not fall on a Sunday and the employee does not work, pay continues as normal (art. 14 Labour Act). Anyone who works gets at least 200%, or 300% if it was agreed in writing or by CAO that no replacement rest day will be given (art. 13). This year's and next year's dates are in Public holidays 2026 and 2027; count working days between two dates with Working days calculator.

Annual leave and leave allowance

• After a full calendar year with the same employer: 12 working days. Each further uninterrupted year +2, up to 18 working days (art. 7 Annual Leave Act). In the first, incomplete year: 1 day per full month.
• Leave is taken in the year after the calendar year in which it was earned. Anyone entitled to more than six days takes at least one unbroken period of six working days (art. 9).
• For each leave day the employee receives, on top of normal pay, a leave allowance (vakantietoelage) of half the pay for that day (art. 10). The allowance cannot be seized or set off, except for tax debts and maintenance.
• Leave cannot be bought out or forfeited while employment continues, and paid work during leave is prohibited (art. 3). When employment ends, untaken days are paid out with the allowance and may not be offset against the notice period (art. 12).
• The employer keeps a leave register that the employee signs every year (art. 14). In a dispute about leave, the Director of Labour decides (art. 15).
• Maternity leave may not be deducted from annual leave (art. 7:633e).

Calculate: Annual leave and leave allowance.

Sickness and special leave

A sick employee keeps the right to pay "for a relatively short time, but for at least six weeks" (art. 7:629). The contract may say the first two sick days are unpaid. Sickness periods less than four weeks apart are added together. There is no right to pay, among other cases, if the sickness was caused deliberately, if recovery is delayed by the employee, or if suitable work is refused without good reason.

The employer must take steps as soon as possible so the sick employee can do his own or other suitable work (art. 7:658a); the employee must cooperate (art. 7:660a). Giving notice during the first six weeks of sickness is prohibited (art. 7:670(3)), see Dismissal and notice.

Short paid special leave (art. 7:629(4) and (5)) for a short, reasonable time, for example: your spouse giving birth, the death and funeral of a household member or close relative, a legal duty that cannot be done in your own time, and voting in elections. The exact number of days is often set in the CAO or company rules.

Death of an employee. The employer pays the surviving partner (or else the minor children) one more month of pay from the day after death (art. 7:674).

Pregnancy, maternity and paternity leave

Leave	Length
Pregnancy leave	4 to 6 weeks before the expected due date
Maternity leave after birth	10 to 12 weeks after the birth; always 16 weeks in total. Up to 24 weeks for three or more babies
Miscarriage or stillbirth during leave	6 weeks of maternity leave afterwards; the father 1 day
Paternity leave	8 days: the day of birth plus 7 working days (3 right after, 2 when maternity leave ends and 2 within the first 4 months)
Adopting a child under 18 months	Mother 6 weeks, father at least 5 working days
Mother dies or cannot care for the baby	The father or a relative gets the (remaining) maternity leave

The leave is compulsory, for the employee and the employer (arts. 7:633c and 633d). The employee reports the pregnancy by the end of week 20 with a statement from a GP, midwife or specialist, and states in writing how the leave will be taken. The birth is reported within 7 working days with a birth certificate from the CBB (civil registry) (art. 7:633f). An unmarried father qualifies if his household with the mother has been registered with the employer for at least 18 months, shown with an extract from the CBB (art. 7:633a).

Who pays? The Parental Leave Fund (Fonds Voorzieningen Ouderschapsverlof, FVO) pays 100% of wages. Employer and employee together contribute 1% of gross pay, of which the employee pays at most half; the employer withholds that part from wages. The employer applies for the benefit, co-signed by the employee, at least 4 weeks before the leave starts. The Fund pays the employer, who passes it on immediately (Family Labour Protection Act, arts. 12 and 14).

Protection. Giving notice during pregnancy, leave and after return is prohibited except for an urgent reason (art. 7:633g). With a doctor's statement a pregnant employee does not have to do night work (also up to 4 weeks after the leave) or standing work. Prenatal check-ups during working hours are paid (art. 7:633h). After the leave she has the right to the same or an equivalent job at the same pay.

Minimum wage

The statutory minimum wage has been SRD 61.25 an hour since 1 July 2026 (previously SRD 52.47). It applies to every employee, including agency workers, home workers and people hired for "occasional services". A sector minimum may never be lower. The Minister sets it on the advice of the National Wage Council and with Council of Ministers approval (Minimum Wage Act, amended by S.B. 2024 no. 31). Overtime is calculated on at least the minimum hourly wage.

If you are paid less, you can report it to the Head of the Labour Inspectorate. You get a written confirmation and an investigation must start within fourteen working days. If it does not, you can complain in writing to the Minister within 7 working days (art. 5). Monthly and weekly amounts: Minimum wage.

Equal treatment, violence and harassment

Equal treatment. The Equal Treatment in Employment Act (2022) prohibits distinctions in recruitment, selection, pay, promotion, training and dismissal based on, among others, race, ethnicity, sex, religion, political opinion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, HIV status and other chronic conditions, pregnancy, family responsibilities, age and marital status. An HIV test or pregnancy test when hiring is prohibited. Part-time and temporary staff may not be treated worse without an objective reason. Work of equal value gets equal pay; the employer puts its pay policy in writing and, in a dispute, must prove it paid equally.

Violence and sexual harassment. The Violence and Sexual Harassment at Work Act (2022) applies at the workplace, on the way to and from work, at work events and in messages by phone and internet. What the employer must do:

• After consulting the union (or else the employees), adopt a written policy against violence, harassment and bullying, with a complaints procedure, confidentiality and sanctions. A copy goes to every employee and to the Head of the Labour Inspectorate; the policy is discussed at least once a year (art. 4). The Labour Inspectorate provides a model policy on request.
• More than 30 employees: a complaints committee of at least three people and an internal complaints procedure. The committee's advice is binding (art. 5).
• Fewer than 30 employees: if the employer cannot handle a complaint itself, it asks the Labour Inspectorate to investigate and advise (art. 7).

An employee can always complain directly to the Head of the Labour Inspectorate (art. 8). Complainants and witnesses may not be disadvantaged, and an employee may withdraw from a situation in which he reasonably expects violence or harassment, if he reports it immediately (art. 3).

Young workers and child labour

Under the Child and Youth Labour Act (2018) a child is anyone under 16 and a young person is 16 or 17. Child labour is prohibited, with these exceptions:

Age	What is allowed
13 and 14	Light, non-industrial helper work. School weeks up to 10 hours, 3 hours per school day; holidays up to 7 hours a day and 35 a week, at most 4 holiday weeks a year. Not on Sundays; not between 19:00 and 07:00 in school weeks and not between 21:00 and 07:00 in holiday weeks
14 and older	Light work as an internship or vocational training, up to 7 hours a day and 35 a week, class time included
15	Light, non-industrial work. School weeks up to 12 hours; holidays up to 8 hours a day and 40 a week
16 and 17	Up to 8 hours a day and 40 a week. No night work (19:00 to 06:00) and no hazardous work (Hazardous Work Decree, S.B. 2010 no. 175)

Children may not work overtime and get a half-hour break after 4.5 hours. The contract is in writing and parents or guardians co-sign it. The employer keeps the names and ages of all employees and trainees.

Health and safety

The employer must set up and maintain the workplace, machines and tools, and give instructions, so that employees do not suffer harm. If harm occurs, the employer is liable unless it proves it did everything required or that the harm was mainly caused by the employee's intent or deliberate recklessness (art. 7:658). This also covers freelancers and hired-in workers working in your business.

• Appoint a supervisor in writing who is present when management is not (art. 4 bis Safety Act, since 2023).
• Keep the staff register, the leave register and an accident register; the Labour Inspectorate asks for them during inspections.
• An employee may withdraw from a situation that seriously threatens his life or health, if he reports it immediately to the employer and the union or the Labour Inspectorate. Dismissing him for this is prohibited (art. 7:670(6)).
• Work accidents are also covered by the Accidents Regulation (Ongevallenregeling). Ask your insurer or the Labour Inspectorate what it means for your business.

Fines under the Safety Act were raised in 2023. A fine can be imposed per employee affected and per day.

Collective agreements and unions

Employees may join a union and do union work outside working hours or with the employer's permission. Dismissal for union membership, union activities or a lawful strike is prohibited (art. 7:670(1) and (2)). A collective agreement (CAO) may deviate from the law on certain points, such as overtime premiums (art. 16 Labour Act) or shortening the employer's notice period (art. 7:672). A CAO can never go below the minimum wage or the minimum leave. If you work under a CAO, always read it alongside this guide.

Dismissal in brief

An employer can generally only dismiss an employee with a dismissal permit from the Dismissal Committee (Dismissal Act 2018). Exceptions include the probation period, mutual consent, the end of a first fixed-term contract and summary dismissal for an urgent reason; the latter must be reported to the Labour Inspectorate within four working days. The employer's notice period is one week per full year of service up to ten years, then four months, and six months from fifteen years (art. 7:672). Procedure, dismissal bans and what to do if you were dismissed are in Dismissal and notice.

Where to get help

• Labour Inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie): complaints about pay, the minimum wage, hours, overtime, leave, safety, violence and harassment, and reports of summary dismissal. Since July 2025 it falls under the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labour. The ministry's general contact on gov.sr is Rodekruislaan 22, Paramaribo, tel. 410441; ask there for the Labour Inspectorate office near you.
• Dismissal Committee (Ontslagcommissie): dismissal permit applications, through the same ministry.
• Your union: support in a dispute, and in your defence before a dismissal (you may bring someone to assist you, art. 7:670b).
• Cantonal court (kantonrechter): wage claims, manifestly unreasonable dismissal, dissolving the contract. Get a lawyer.
• Employers: the employers' organisations and your accountant or payroll provider. For hiring see Hiring staff; for foreign staff Work and residence permits. All institutions are listed in Business resources.

Where employers slip up

• Agreeing a three-month or verbal probation period. It is void, so there is no probation at all.
• Issuing one fixed-term contract after another and assuming they end automatically. At a fourth contract or after more than 24 months the contract is permanent, and only the first fixed-term contract ends without a dismissal permit.
• Not keeping a working-hours list, staff register or leave register. That is the first thing the Labour Inspectorate asks for.
• "Paying out" leave instead of letting staff take it, or forgetting the leave allowance.
• Paying 150% instead of 200% for work on Sundays or public holidays.
• Dismissing a pregnant employee, or a sick employee in the first six weeks. That is prohibited and the notice can be annulled.
• Small employers without a written anti-harassment policy. That duty applies to every employer, not only those with more than 30 staff.

Sources

• Burgerlijk Wetboek Boek 7 (S.B. 2024 no. 164), titel 10 Arbeidsovereenkomst
• Aanpassingswet nieuw Burgerlijk Wetboek (S.B. 2024 no. 168)
• Arbeidswet 1963
• Vacantiewet 1975
• Wet Minimumloon (S.B. 2019 no. 101)
• WageIndicator: minimum wage increased in Suriname from 1 July 2026
• Dagblad Suriname: nieuw minimumuurloon stijgt naar SRD 61,25
• Wet Arbeidsbescherming Gezin (S.B. 2019 no. 64)
• Bekendmaking Fonds Voorzieningen Ouderschapsverlof (December 2022)
• Wet Gelijke Behandeling Arbeid (S.B. 2022 no. 137)
• Wet Geweld en Seksuele Intimidatie Arbeid (S.B. 2022 no. 136)
• Wet Arbeid Kinderen en Jeugdige Personen (S.B. 2018 no. 76)
• Ontslagwet 2018 (S.B. 2018 no. 94)
• Wijziging Veiligheidswet 1947 (S.B. 2023 no. 121)
• Presidentieel Besluit departementen (S.B. 2025 no. 94)
• Ministerie van Volksgezondheid, Welzijn en Arbeid: contact
• Key News: Arbeidsinspectie controleert in Nickerie (February 2025)

Checked on 21 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.