Forced Labour

Prohibition on Forced and Compulsory Labour

Forced or compulsory is prohibited and outlawed under the Labour Law.  Hiring of people for work to pay off debts is also forbidden.

The acts of submitting a person, by abusing his/her vulnerability, or his/her situation of dependence, to working conditions incompatible with the human dignity, is punishable by an imprisonment ranging from 01 month to one year and a fine of between KHR100,000 and KHR2,000,000 (two million).

The 2007 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation prohibits “any form of exploitation” which includes the exploitation of the prostitution of others, pornography, commercial sex act, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, child labor or the removal of organs.

Sources: §15-16 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2021); §274 of the Criminal Code; Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, 2007

Freedom to Change Jobs and Right to Quit

According to the Cambodian constitution, every citizen has a right to choose  any employment according to their abilities and the needs of the society.

Labour law states that workers have the right to change jobs after serving due notice  to their employers. The duration of notice period depends on the length of service of the worker. For more information on this, please refer to the section on employment security.

Sources: §36 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, of 21 September 1993 (as amended in 1999); §75 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2021)

Inhumane Working Conditions

Working time may be extended beyond normal working hours of forty-eight hours per week and eight hours a day. However, total hours of work inclusive of overtime must not exceed ten hours a day. Extension of one hour per day is also allowed for 30 days per year to make  up for hours lost following mass interruptions in the work or a general slowdown from either accidental causes or acts of God (force majeure), notably bad weather or because of holidays, local festivals, or other local events. However, even in such case, the daily working hours cannot exceed 10 hours per day.

For more information on this, please refer to the section on compensation.

Sources: §137,140 & 197 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2021)