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How Employer of Record (EoR) in Burkina Faso Works

Workforce Africa makes it hassle free to hire and manage your remote staff in Burkina Faso without having to first set up a subsidiary or entity in the country. We handle staff contract management and onboarding, payroll, compliance, taxes, and other administrative matters. With Workforce Africa, you can now focus more on strategic activities and growing your business. These items include >>

Employment Contracts in Burkina Faso

Contracts in Burkina Faso are typically written in French. They should clearly define:

• Job title and responsibilities
• Starting date and probationary period (usually three months)
• Working hours (standard is 40 hours per week)
• Overtime compensation (1.15x for first 8 hours, 1.35x after 48 hours)
• Compensation details (salary, benefits)
• Paid leave entitlements (annual leave, public holidays, maternity/paternity leave)
• Termination clauses (notice period, severance pay)

Working Hours in Burkina Faso

The standard workweek in Burkina Faso is 40 hours. This typically translates to 8 hours per day for a 5-day workweek.

Observed National Holidays and Vacation

Thirteen national holidays are celebrated in Burkina Faso:

• New Year’s Day: January 1st
• Revolution Day: January 3rd – Commemorates the overthrow of President Maurice Yaméogo in 1966.
• International Women’s Day: March 8th
• Easter Sunday & Monday: Dates vary
• Korité (Eid al-Fitr) Marks the end of Ramadan. The dates vary depending on the Islamic lunar calendar.
• Labour Day: May 1st
• Ascension Day: A Christian holiday commemorating Jesus’ ascension into heaven 40 days after Easter.
• Tabaski (Eid al-Adha): This major Islamic holiday, the “Festival of Sacrifice,” has dates that vary depending on the Islamic lunar calendar.
• Independence Day: August 5th – Celebrates Burkina Faso’s independence from France in 1960.
• Assumption Day: August 15th – A Christian holy day commemorating the Virgin Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven.
• All Saints’ Day: November 1st – A Christian holy day honouring saints and martyrs.
• Proclamation of the Republic: December 11th – Marks the proclamation of the Upper Volta Republic in 1958 (later renamed Burkina Faso).
• Christmas Day: December 25th

Expats, Visas & Work Permits

• Long-stay visa: This is required for any foreign national who intends to work in Burkina Faso. You must apply through your home country’s Burkina Faso embassy or consulate.
• Work permit: Your Employer in Burkina Faso will typically handle the work permit application on your behalf. This involves submitting necessary documents to the Ministry of Labor in Burkina Faso.

A Burkina Faso EoR offers this service to help businesses manage their clients.

Paid Leave

• Annual Leave: Employees are entitled to 2.5 calendar days of paid annual leave for each month of effective service. This translates to roughly 30 calendar days or 22 working days of paid leave annually, typically taken at agreed-upon times with the Employer.
• Public Holidays: As mentioned earlier, Burkina Faso has numerous paid public holidays throughout the year (around 15 in total), providing additional paid time off.
• Maternity Leave: Female employees may be qualified to at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, usually taken eight weeks before the due date and six weeks after.
• Paternity Leave: Fathers may be qualified to 3 days of paid paternity leave.
• Sick Leave: The duration of unpaid sick leave depends on the length of service with the company. It typically starts with a few days for new employees and gradually increases with seniority.
• Marriage Leave: Employees are typically entitled to a few days of unpaid leave for marriage.
• Family Leave: Unpaid leave may be granted for severe illness or death of a close family member.

Statutory Deductions

• Employer Contributions: The Employer’s total social security contribution is typically around 16% of the employee’s gross salary. This breaks down further into contributions for:
• Occupational accident: 3.5%
• Family allowances: 7%
• Old age pension: 5.5%
• Employee Contributions: Employees contribute 5.5% of their gross salary towards their old-age pension.

Health Insurance

In Burkina Faso, employee health benefits encompass a state-funded universal healthcare system. However, employers often need more quality healthcare provisions to acquire private medical insurance.

Additional Compensation and Benefits

Mandatory Social Security: Employers in Burkina Faso are required to contribute to a social security program that provides benefits for:

• Retirement: Employees contribute a part of their salary towards a pension upon retirement.
• Medical: Provides basic healthcare coverage for employees and their dependents.
• Work-Related Accidents & Illnesses: Covers medical expenses, rehabilitation, and potentially retraining in case of work-related injuries or illnesses.

Termination/Severance in Burkina Faso

Termination

An employment contract can be terminated for different reasons as outlined in the Burkina Faso Labor Law:

• Completion of Work: Fixed-term contracts naturally end upon project or timeframe completion.
• Employee Death: The contract is automatically terminated upon the employee’s passing.
• Restructuring or Economic Reasons: Termination may occur due to business needs, but specific regulations apply.
• Termination with Notice: According to Labor Law, either party can terminate the contract with prior written notice (the notice period varies depending on the reason and contract type).
• Termination for Cause: An employee can be dismissed for violating the Labor Law or engaging in misconduct.
• Termination by Employee: Employees are generally not entitled to severance pay if they resign voluntarily.

Termination Process

A formal notice of termination must be provided in writing to the concerned party to ensure proper procedure. In the event of employer-initiated termination, employees are entitled to present a counterargument, which fosters fairness in the process. Upon termination, employers must issue a termination certificate detailing the reasons for dismissal.

Notice Period

• Employee: An employee can terminate the employment contract by providing written notice to the Employer. This written notice should specify the intended last day of employment.
• Employer: An employer must give the employee written notice of termination at least 30 days before the last day of employment. In this scenario, the employee is entitled to severance pay according to the Burkina Faso Labor Law.

Severance Pay

In Burkina Faso, severance pay may be required under certain circumstances, like termination without cause or due to company restructuring.