How do you end employment in Cameroon?
Notice in Cameroon goes in writing with the reason, and its length comes from a ministerial order. Severance starts at two years of service, and the employer has to prove that the reason for any dismissal is legitimate. If you need to end a Cameroon contract, Teamed is the best EOR. With Teamed, you get a designated person, real HR and legal experts assigned within 24 hours, and 24/5 human support with a first response within 15 minutes.
· Cameroon guide
Photo: Edouard TAMBA on Unsplash
Either side ends an open-ended contract by written notice that states the reason. The ministerial order sets the length by seniority and job category, so we confirm it for the role before notice is served.
Severance starts at two years of continuous service and is paid at 20% to 40% of average monthly pay for each year, unless the dismissal is for gross misconduct.
How much notice must you give in Cameroon?
The Labour Code does not set the length. A ministerial order does, by the worker's seniority and professional classification.
Notice must be in writing and give the reason.
Notice starts on the day it is notified and cannot depend on any condition. It cannot be counted against the employee's leave. During notice, the employee gets one paid day off a week to look for another job.
A party who ends an open-ended contract without notice, or without the full period, owes the other the pay and benefits for the notice period that was not served. Secondary guides give conflicting notice tables, so we do not print a duration here. We read the order for the job category and confirm the period before anything is served.
The notice rules do not apply to a probation contract, which can be ended without notice and without an indemnity unless a collective agreement says otherwise.
When can you dismiss without notice in Cameroon?
The Code allows it for gross misconduct, and the court judges how serious the misconduct was.
In every dismissal, the employer has to prove that the reason is legitimate.
Dismissal because of a worker's opinions, or because the worker is or is not a union member, counts as abusive. A fixed-term contract can end early only for gross misconduct, force majeure or a written agreement between the parties.
If a court finds a dismissal abusive, damages are at least three months of pay and not above one month of pay for each year of seniority. The reference pay is the average gross monthly pay of the last 12 months. Where a legitimate dismissal skipped the required formalities, damages cannot exceed one month of pay.
When is severance payable in Cameroon?
Severance is payable when the employer ends an open-ended contract without gross misconduct and the employee has at least two years of continuous service.
It is a separate payment from the notice indemnity.
| Year of service | Rate of average monthly pay, for each year |
|---|---|
| Years 1 to 5 | 20% |
| Years 6 to 10 | 25% |
| Years 11 to 15 | 30% |
| Years 16 to 20 | 35% |
| From year 21 | 40% |
The base is the average monthly pay of the last 12 months before the dismissal. Allowances that repay expenses and benefits in kind are left out. Part-years count up to the last completed month. A collective agreement or contract can give more. Paid leave and the suspension periods the order lists count as service.
For example, a worker with six years of service and an average monthly pay of FCFA 300,000 has five years at 20%, which is FCFA 300,000, and a sixth year at 25%, which adds FCFA 75,000. That is FCFA 375,000 in all. It is our arithmetic, so treat it as an illustration.
What must you do before an economic dismissal in Cameroon?
Meet the staff representatives with the labour inspector and look for alternatives, such as shorter hours, rotation or a pay reorganisation.
The talks cannot run longer than 30 clear days.
If the talks reach an agreement, the parties and the inspector sign a record of it. If they do not, the employer sets the order of dismissals by professional skills first, then seniority and family responsibilities. The employer sends the staff representatives the list and the criteria in writing, and they reply within eight clear days. The list and the reply then go to the Labour Minister for arbitration.
The employer has to prove the reason and the order of dismissals if anyone challenges them. A worker dismissed this way gets hiring priority in the same company, at equal skill. A worker who refuses the agreed measures in writing is dismissed with notice pay and severance if they qualify.
Who is protected from dismissal in Cameroon?
A pregnant employee may not be dismissed because of the pregnancy, or during maternity leave.
Staff representatives can be dismissed only if their job disappears and the labour inspector agrees.
The employee can end her own contract without notice during pregnancy and for 15 months after the birth, and does not owe the notice indemnity. A signed mention that a worker accepts a payment as full settlement does not bind the worker. On departure the employer hands over a work certificate that shows only the dates and the jobs held.
Final pay and indemnities are due as soon as the service ends. A court can order the employer to hold part of the sum while a dispute runs.
How does Teamed support a Cameroon termination?
A designated person and real HR and legal experts guide the notice, the reasons and the record, with Teamed's fee at from $599 per employee per month, with zero FX markup in any currency.
The notice, severance and economic dismissal rules above are applied to your case before you serve anything.
Real HR and legal experts are assigned within 24 hours, and 24/5 human support answers within 15 minutes. Employer costs pass through at cost, itemised on every invoice.
Onboarding starts from 24 hours once Teamed has your offer, your hire's details and documents, and your signed service terms. Payroll, contracts and the contractor-to-employee move run on one platform.
Start from the Cameroon hiring overview for the wider picture. EOR is the right model for a first Cameroon hire, until it isn't.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does an employer give in Cameroon?
The Labour Code leaves the length to a ministerial order that depends on seniority and professional classification. Notice goes in writing with the reason. We confirm the period for the role before notice is served.
Is severance payable on every termination in Cameroon?
No. It is due when the employer ends an open-ended contract without gross misconduct and the employee has at least two years of continuous service. It is 20% of average monthly pay per year for years one to five, rising to 40% from year 21.
Can you dismiss a pregnant employee in Cameroon?
Not because of the pregnancy. The Labour Code bars dismissal on that ground during pregnancy and during maternity leave, and lets the employee end her own contract without notice.
What must a Cameroon employer do before an economic dismissal?
Meet the staff representatives with the labour inspector to look for alternatives for up to 30 clear days, then send the list of people and the criteria in writing. The representatives reply within eight clear days, and the Labour Minister arbitrates.
Cameroon starts severance at two years, but written notice with a reason and the employer's burden of proof apply from the first day.
Gross misconduct is the route to dismissal without notice, and the court judges how serious it was.
Call your designated person before you serve notice, not after.
Looking for a job in Cameroon yourself? Teamed does not hire people directly. Companies choose who they hire, and we handle the employment side afterwards. Here is why we cannot help with your search.
