Employers may enter probationary contracts to evaluate a prospect employee’s skills. The maximum probationary periods are:
Cambodia’s economic landscape has been significantly shaped by its burgeoning garment, construction, and tourism industries. At the heart of this economic engine lies the , a comprehensive legal framework that has been supplemented and clarified by various regulations over the years.
The , originally promulgated in 1997 and frequently supplemented by Ministerial Orders ( Prakas ), remains the cornerstone of industrial relations in the Kingdom. While many specific regulations—such as minimum wage and seniority payments—have been updated as recently as 2026, the 1997 framework continues to define the rights and obligations of both employers and employees. Cambodian-labour-law-guide-english-2014
A contract with a specific start and end date (maximum 2 years, renewable once).
The Cambodian Constitution guarantees equal protection for all citizens under the law, and the Labour Law explicitly prohibits discrimination in employment-related matters on the basis of race, color, sex, creed, religion, political association, union membership, social origin, or birth. Employers may not consider these protected characteristics when making decisions regarding hiring, work assignments, vocational training, promotions, remuneration, social benefits, or termination. Employers may enter probationary contracts to evaluate a
For the most accurate and up-to-date compliance, employers should refer to the latest Prakas from the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (MLVT) .
The Cambodian Ministry of Labour is responsible for inspecting and enforcing labour laws, including: The , originally promulgated in 1997 and frequently
For collective disputes that cannot be settled via conciliation, cases are referred to the Arbitration Council—an independent, tripartite body. The Council reviews evidence and issues an arbitral award, which may be binding or non-binding depending on the prior agreement of the parties or the nature of the dispute.
Sokha kept reading because the world kept changing. New clauses were added in later editions, new protections debated in Phnom Penh's distant offices. The 2014 guide would not answer every modern question. But for a generation of women who stitched the city’s uniforms, those pages had been a key: a small instrument that helped open closed doors, a language to say "this is not right" and a way to ask for a better answer.
