Guyanese Creole

UTC - 04:00

Undoubtedly, payroll is a critical aspect of any organization. The Pay cycle is a notable feature that provides a sense of accountability for an employee to be paid consistently for their work.  

Typically, employees in Guyana are paid monthly.

There is no statutory requirement to pay the 13th or the 14th month salary.

Effective July 1, 2022, Minimum Wages in Guyana are not less than-

• 347 Guyanese dollars per hour
• 2,776 Guyanese dollars per day
• 13,888 Guyanese dollars per week 
• 60,147 Guyanese dollars per month

If an employee works more hours than what is specified or agreed upon, they will be paid 1.5 times the basic hourly wage.

Workers in locations that are classified as factories are entitled to overtime pay for any hours worked on Sundays or public holidays.

Subject to section 65 (1) of the Income Tax Act, Chapter 81:01, every person carrying on any business, trade, profession or vocation shall keep proper records and accounts must be kept for a period of at least eight years after the completion of the transaction.

In Guyana, hiring commences with the employment agreement. It is advisable to use a written contract even if Guyana's employment laws permit both oral and written agreements. The following information should be included in a Guyana employment contract :

• The job description or post
• The hourly wage 
• The hours of operation
• Grounds for removal from work

Following the signing of the employment contract by both parties, the employer must register the employee's tax information with the National Insurance Scheme (NIS).

Employee onboarding documents Requirements for a labor contract: ID number Address Date of birth Email Copy of Identification card Tax ID number (TIN) NIS number (National Insurance Scheme).

Employee Probation Period:

Unless the parties agree to a different duration, Guyana law mandates a three-month probationary period. During this period, either the employer or the employee may end the job at any moment, for any reason, and without giving notice.

The following days are statutory public holidays in Guyana:

• January 1 - New Year's Day 
• February 23 - Republic Day 
• March 25 - Phagwah
• Friday before Easter - Good Friday 
• Day after Easter - Easter Monday 
• May 1 -Labor Day 
• May 5 - Arrival Day 
• May 26 - Independence Day 
• June 16 - Youman-Nabi
• July 1 - Caricom Day 
• August 1 - Emancipation Day
• September 15 - Eid-Ul-Adha
• October 31 - Deepavali
• December 25 - Christmas Day 
• December 26 - Boxing Day 

Paid holidays are due to employees every six or twelve months.   The Holidays with Pay Act's minimum holiday requirements are calculated as follows:

• one day for each full month of service for individuals paid on a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly basis; 
• one day for each twenty days worked for daily paid employees; and
• One day for every 156 hours worked is the daily rate for hourly workers.

Employees' holiday entitlements are paid in place of paid time off and are prorated upon termination.

Typically, maternity benefits are given for thirteen (13) weeks. If the insured woman's issues from the pregnancy and birth continue to prevent her from working, this benefit may be extended for an extra thirteen (13) weeks. The weekly rate of maternity allowance is seventy percent (70%) of the average weekly insured earnings.

There is no provision for paternity leave in Guyana.

Although employees are not entitled to sick leave, they are permitted to take both certified and uncertified sick days. The first three days of incapacity are not covered by Sickness Benefit; instead, benefits are paid for each day (Sunday excluded) starting on the fourth day of incapacity, for the duration of the incapacity for work, up to a maximum of twenty-six (26) weeks in any continuous period of incapacity for work. The Daily Rate of Sickness Benefit is 70% of the Insured Person's Average Weekly Insurable Earnings, divided by six.

Student employees are employees who work under the authority and direction of an employer and have permission from their employer to attend the course at an educational establishment to develop and improve their skills, particularly their technical and occupational skills.

Maintaining student employee status is conditional upon successful school results, in the terms set down in specific legislation.

Student employees have the right not to attend work during examination periods, without loss of remuneration, provided they shall give their employer advance notice of at least seven days.

The employer may provide the employee unpaid leave for such period as the parties agree, provided that the employee has previously taken the annual holidays to which the employee is entitled in that calendar year.

Employees are entitled to up to five days for the death of the employee’s spouse, father, mother, children, stepchildren, siblings, grandparents, stepfather, or stepmother.

Employees are entitled to up to two days for the death of the employee’s parents-in-law, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, sons-in-law, daughters-in-law, brothers-in-law, and sisters-in-law.

Employees are entitled to five days of marriage leave.

An employment contract for an unspecified period of time can be ended by mutual consent, on grounds of redundancy and by any party,

1. by notice given or served upon the other party;
2. for good or sufficient cause. 

If the contract of employment is being terminated for an unspecified period of time for any reason of redundancy or by notice by the employer  or the employee, 

2 weeks, where the employee has been employed for less than a year.

1 month, where the employee has been employed for one year or more.

When an employee is laid off without cause or terminated without cause, severance or redundancy payments must be made.  The minimal benefit will be the same as:

• One week's wages for the first five years of service, including the entitlement year.
• Two weeks wages for each year after the fifth year and up to 10 years of service.

Three weeks wages for every year of service after ten years, up to a maximum of fifty-two weeks.

The Employment Visa on Arrival is issued to persons coming to Guyana to take up employment with any local or foreign company based in Guyana.

An employment Visa isvalid for three years and the cost is twenty-eight thousand, seven hundred Guyana dollars ($28,700.00) or one hundred and forty US Dollars (US $140.00)

These applications take four (4) weeks to process.

Approval to enter Guyana is based on the following:

1. The name and address of the sponsor/employer must be provided to the Ministry of Home Affairs for processing before the applicant arrives in Guyana;
2. Telephone number, fax and/or email address of sponsor/employer must be provided to Ministry of Home Affairs for processing before the applicant arrives in Guyana;
3. Place of employment must be an established business and must be registered and be compliant with NIS and GRA rules/regulations;
4. Name, address and gender of employee/person coming to work in Guyana must be presented to the Ministry of Home Affairs by the Employer prior to arrival;
5. Approval to have a visa and Work Permit issued will be given to;

• Employer
• Immigration

6. Visa on Arrival and Work Permit will be issued on arrival;
7. Visas will be granted for a three-year period