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Hiring in Cameroon
Cameroon is located in Central Africa and borders the Atlantic Ocean. The official languages of Cameroon are French and English. When negotiating terms of an employment contract and offer letter with an employee in Cameroon, it may be useful to keep the following in mind.
Employment contracts in Cameroon
Generally, fixed-term contracts of up to 2 years are allowed and may be renewed once. If the fixed-term contract is for more than 3 months, it must be in writing.
Although not legally required for indefinite-term contracts, it is best practice to put a written employment contract in place, in the local language, which spells out the terms of the employee’s compensation, benefits, and termination requirements. An offer letter and employment contract in Cameroon should always state the salary and any compensation amounts in Central Africa CFA francs rather than another currency.
Working hours in Cameroon
In general, the work week is 40 hours for all sectors except agriculture, which is 48 hours a week.
Holidays in Cameroon
Cameroon celebrates 12 national holidays, including:
- New Year’s Day
- Youth Day
- Good Friday
- Easter
- Labor Day
- Ascension Day
- National Day
- Eid al-Fitr
- Assumption of Mary
- Eid al-Adha
- Prophet’s Birthday
- Christmas Day
Vacation days in Cameroon
In general, employees accrue 1.5 days of leave for each month of work. After 5 years of service, employees are eligible to receive an additional 2 days per month. Workers who have accumulated more than 12 days of leave may split up their leave, but one portion must equal 12 continuous working days.
Workers are also eligible to receive 10 days of paid leave for family events.
Mothers with children under 6 are eligible for 2 additional days of leave for each child who lives in the home, or 1 day if the mother’s accrued leave does not exceed 6 days.
Cameroon sick leave
Employees are entitled to at least 5 days of paid sick leave per year.
If an employee is injured or becomes ill at work, the employer is responsible for paying for medical treatment.
Maternity/paternity leave in Cameroon
Expecting employees are generally entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, with 4 weeks to be taken before the birth or 6 weeks if a doctor orders confinement. Maternity leave is paid for by the National Social Insurance Fund.
Fathers can use their 10 days of paid family leave for paternity leave.
Health insurance in Cameroon
In 2012, Cameroon had community-based health insurance, primarily focused on economically vulnerable groups. The country is working toward providing universal healthcare.
Termination/severance in Cameroon
Probationary periods of up to 6 months are allowed, and the agreement must be in writing. Managerial staff are generally entitled to an 8-month probationary period. If the employee continues to work after the probationary period, but no contract is drafted, that employee is considered to have a permanent position.
Fixed-term contracts may only be terminated for reasons of gross misconduct, force majeure, or written consent of both parties.
Indefinite-term contracts can be terminated at any time by either the employer or the employee. Notice of termination must be given, the duration of which is set by the Minister in charge of labor and is based on the employee’s seniority and occupational group. During the notice period, the employee is generally entitled to 1 day off per week to look for another job.
Employees who have worked for at least 2 years are generally entitled to severance pay; the amount of pay is determined by the Minister in charge of labor.
Paying taxes in Cameroon
Companies earning less than CFA 3 billion are subject to a 30.8% corporate income tax rate, while companies earning more than CFA 3 billion are taxed at 33%. Employers are also taxed 11.2% towards Cameroon’s social security fund while employees contribute 4.2%. Employees pay personal income taxes of between 11% and 38.5%.
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