Lebanon is a country located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea. It borders Israel in the south and Syria in the north. Lebanon is a mountainous country with approximately half of its landscape lying at an altitude of over 900m (3,000ft). The Lebanese economy is service-oriented and the main growth sectors include banking and tourism.
*Please note that the official currency is the currency of remuneration when employed through WorkMotion in Lebanon.
Capital : Beruit | Currency : Lebanese Pound (ل.ل.; LBP) | Languages spoken : Arabic, French, and English |
Population : 5,59 million (2021 est.) | Minimum wage 2023 : LL9 million | Cost of Living index : $$$ (27 of 140 nations) |
Payroll Frequency : Monthly | VAT - standard rate : 11% | GDP - real growth rate : -7% (2021 est.) |
The approximate time for sharing the contract with an employee in Lebanon is 14 business days assuming no special requests or changes to our standard employment contract. Any such requests or changes would need to undergo internal or external review, directly leading to a time delay.
NOTE: This number is subject to change and is only an estimation of the Contract Sharing Time. The estimated Contract Sharing Time begins from the moment that WorkMotion has received all required information from both the client and the employee.
Eight hours is the maximum duration of work per day, except in agricultural corporations. In all cases where hours of work exceed six hours daily for men, and five hours for women, a minimum of one hour rest in the middle of the working day.
The maximum duration of work may be up to 12 hours per day (including overtime). The wage or salary for overtime work shall be paid at a rate of 50% of increase (overtime for urgent work).
The maximum probationary period is three months. During the probationary period, the employee is not entitled to benefit from any type of leave-even sick leave. If they want to take any leave, it will be considered as unpaid leave.
The length of notice varies according to the length of the employee’s employment as follows:
| Service Period | Notice Period |
| Under 3 years | 1 month |
| 3 to 6 years: | 2 months |
| 6 to 12 years | 3 months |
| Over 12 years | 4 months |
Employees who have completed one year of employment are entitled to annual leave according to their period of employment with full pay as follows:
| Service Period | Annual Leave Entitlement |
| 1 completed year to 5 years | 15 days |
| From 5 to 10 years | 17 days |
| From 10 to 15 years | 19 days |
| More than 15 years | 21 days |
Employees who have been working for the same entity for a period exceeding the probation period (three months) are entitled to a paid sick leave as follows:
Service Period | Payable Salary |
|---|---|
From 3 months to 2 years of employment: | 100% of the salary payable for half a month and 50% of the salary payable for another half month |
From 2 to 4 years of employment | 100% of the salary payable for one month and 50% of the salary payable for another month. |
From 3 months to 2 years of employment | 100% of the salary payable for half a month and 50% of the salary payable for another half month |
From 4 to 6 years of employment | 100% of the salary payable for one and a half months and 50% of the salary payable for another one and a half months. |
From 6 to 10 years of employment | 100% of the salary payable for two months and 50% of the salary payable for another two months. |
Above 10 years of employment | 100% of the salary payable for two and a half months and 50% of the salary payable for another two and a half months. |
There are no statutory provisions for parental leave in Lebanon.
Presently, Lebanese legislation authorizes pregnant women to take no more than 10 weeks of personal leave with compensation.
Male employees are entitled to three days of paternity leave.
Employees are granted paid leave for up to two days in the event of the death of a first level relative (father, mother, spouse, child, grandchild, sister, brother, grandfather or grandmother) with full pay. Employees are granted paid leave for up to one day in the event of the death of a second level relative (uncle, aunt, cousin, niece, nephew, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, father-in-law, or mother-in-law).
Proof of document (obituary paper) should be provided to the employer when the employee resumes work.
Employees are granted a one-week paid leave for their marriage, and this is only for “one time” during their employment with the company.
The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) provides employees with insurance coverage for sickness and maternity care. It also covers family allowances, end-of-service pensions and work-related accidents and diseases. Employers are required to register all employees working for local and international firms with the NSSF.
An overview of mandatory employer contributions is presented below:
Employers contribute 8% towards the Maternity and Sickness Benefit Scheme whilst employees contribute 3%. The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate the contributions is LBP 5.6 million.
Healthcare in Lebanon is funded by the Government, with citizens paying into a National Social Security Fund. This allows Lebanese citizens to access public healthcare facilities in the country, where they will typically be required to pay for their treatment upfront and then seek reimbursement from the fund.
Accidental insurance is the employer’s liability, administered through a private carrier.
Lebanon does not have a formal scheme of unemployment insurance or assistance.
Employers contribute 8.5% towards the End of Service benefit.
At the age of 60, an employee can ask for early retirement and end-of-service compensation (paid only once) provided 20 years of service has been completed. Noting that the retirement age is 64, employees no longer benefit from the NSSF.
The employer pays 6% towards the Family Benefits Scheme. The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate the contributions is LBP 3.425 million.
Family allowances (Prestations familiales et scolaires) are paid to a wife who is not gainfully employed and for children younger than age 18 (age 25 if a full-time student or an unmarried, unemployed daughter; no limit if disabled).