How do you end employment in Sierra Leone?
An employer in Sierra Leone needs a fair reason to dismiss, gives a month's notice on an open-ended contract and can face a claim within 12 months. End-of-service benefit is due within one month of the contract ending. If you need to end a Sierra Leone 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.
· Sierra Leone guide
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On a contract without a time limit, either party gives one month's notice or pays one month's basic salary in its place. A probationary contract can end on seven days' notice or seven days' wages.
An employer needs a fair reason: incompetence, proven misconduct, redundancy or a legal restriction. A worker with at least a year's service is entitled to end-of-service benefit, at a minimum of 6 to 18 weeks by service.
How much notice must you give in Sierra Leone?
On a contract without a time limit, notice is one month, in writing, or one month's basic salary in its place.
A probationary contract can end on seven days' notice or seven days' wages.
| Situation | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Contract without a time limit | One month, or one month's basic salary in lieu |
| Probationary contract | Seven days, or seven days' wages in lieu |
| Worker with a disability | Not less than two months |
| Redundancy, notice to the Commissioner | In writing, not later than three months before the changes |
The parties can agree a longer period but not a shorter one. Notice excludes the day it is given, and a non-literate worker can receive it in a form they understand. Notice given by a worker is also one month. Outstanding annual leave does not count towards the notice period. An employer can skip notice for serious misconduct.
When can you dismiss an employee in Sierra Leone?
A termination is fair on four grounds: the worker is incompetent for the job, proven misconduct, redundancy under section 82, or a legal restriction on the worker doing the job.
The employer must prove the reason, and if it cannot there is a conclusive presumption that the termination was unfair.
Reasons the Act says are not fair include these:
- taking or proposing to take leave, or being pregnant or on maternity leave;
- joining, refusing to join or leaving a trade union, or taking part in a lawful strike;
- filing a complaint or giving evidence against the employer;
- gender, race, religion, social or political status, or a disability, or being temporarily ill or injured on a medical certificate.
Summary dismissal is possible only for gross breach of duty, gross misconduct or gross insubordination that the employer proves. A summarily dismissed worker does not receive end-of-service benefit. The Act's Schedule sets a code of practice on discipline, and the employer has to follow a fair procedure.
How is end-of-service benefit worked out in Sierra Leone?
A worker with at least one year of continuous service is entitled to end-of-service benefit when dismissed for reasons other than gross misconduct, or on retirement, death or resignation.
The Regulations set minimum rates from 6 to 18 weeks by years of service.
| Continuous service | Minimum rate in the Second Schedule |
|---|---|
| Over 1 year, under 4 years | 6 weeks |
| 4 years, under 8 years | 8 weeks |
| 8 years, under 12 years | 10 weeks |
| 12 years, under 15 years | 14 weeks |
| Over 15 years | 18 weeks |
The Schedule is headed rates for redundancy pay and end-of-service benefit, and it sets minimum standards except where a collective agreement applies. The Second Schedule to the Employment Regulations, 2023 sets minimum end-of-service benefit at 6, 8, 10, 14 or 18 weeks by length of service. The schedule does not say weeks of what, or whether they count per year of service, so our experts read it case by case before any figure goes into an offer.
Payment is due within one month of the contract ending. An employer that misses it commits an offence with a fine of at least 24 months' national minimum wage, and a payment plan to the Commissioner cannot exceed two instalments.
What must you do before reducing staff in Sierra Leone?
Write to the Commissioner, and to any trade union, at least three months before the changes, and consult the workers on ways to avoid or reduce the redundancies.
Select by last in, first out, subject to merit, and use best endeavours to negotiate redundancy payments.
The written information covers these points:
- the reasons for the termination;
- the number and categories of workers likely to be affected;
- the period within which the terminations will be carried out.
A collective termination means ending the employment of at least 5% of the workers within four weeks. It needs consultation, a chance for any union to negotiate and notice to the Commissioner. Information for the union is due at least four weeks before the first termination, unless that is not reasonably practicable. After a business closes or is wound up, workers' claims for wages rank ahead of other debts except judicial fees, and the contract usually ends one month after bankruptcy or winding-up. In a force majeure or disaster, the employer pays end-of-service benefit but no redundancy compensation.
What must you give an employee when employment ends?
Pay what is owed up to the end date, the end-of-service benefit where it applies and a certificate of service.
Tell the Commissioner within three working days after the worker stops working.
- Notice pay. If you pay in place of notice, the wages and other benefits the worker would have had over the notice period.
- End-of-service benefit. The Second Schedule minimum, paid within one month.
- Certificate. A certificate of service with the employer's and worker's details, the nature of the business, the length of service and the job held, and the reason for termination if the worker asks.
- Commissioner. Notice that the worker has left, within three working days after they stop working.
- Foreign nationals. A work permit holder who stops working for you needs notice to the Commissioner within seven working days, and the permit is not transferable.
Death, retirement and resignation also trigger end-of-service benefit. After a worker's death it goes to the surviving spouse or children, or to another dependant.
What happens if a Sierra Leone dismissal is unfair?
A worker can complain to the Commissioner or the High Court, and a claim for unfair dismissal is due within 12 months of the dismissal.
The Commissioner can order reinstatement, re-employment or compensation of at least 24 months' national minimum wage.
Compensation for an unfair termination under section 90 is in addition to the worker's other entitlements. Under the separate unfair dismissal provisions, the Commissioner or High Court can reinstate, re-engage or award compensation for the loss the dismissal caused, with regard to the worker's efforts to find other work and the effect on career progression.
The Act has two overlapping unfair-termination parts, so our experts plan the reasons and the record before you end a contract.
How does Teamed support a Sierra Leone 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, end-of-service and fair-reason 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 Sierra Leone hiring overview for the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice does an employer give in Sierra Leone?
One month, in writing, or one month's basic salary in place of notice, on a contract without a time limit. A probationary contract can end on seven days' notice or seven days' wages.
Is end-of-service benefit payable on every termination in Sierra Leone?
Not always. A worker needs at least one year of continuous service, and a worker dismissed for gross misconduct does not receive it. The Regulations set minimum rates of 6 to 18 weeks by years of service.
Can you dismiss an employee for being ill in Sierra Leone?
Not for a temporary illness or injury certified by a recognised medical practitioner, and not for pregnancy or maternity leave. Each is listed as not a fair reason for termination.
What must a Sierra Leone employer do before reducing staff?
Write to the Commissioner and any union at least three months before the changes, consult the workers, select by last in first out and use best endeavours to negotiate redundancy payments.
Is severance pay taxed in Sierra Leone?
Under the Finance Act, 2026, any redundancy or termination payment is excluded from employment income. We confirm how a particular payment is treated before the first payslip.
Sierra Leone counts end-of-service benefit by years of service, at 6 to 18 weeks, and wants three months' written notice to the Commissioner before a redundancy.
Every dismissal needs a fair reason that the employer proves, and a bad one can lead to reinstatement or compensation of at least 24 months' national minimum wage.
Call your designated person before you serve notice, not after.
Looking for a job in Sierra Leone 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.
