Employment
The Labour Code 1946, with domestic workers excluded
The Labour Code of 1946 governs private employment. Domestic workers are expressly excluded and fall under the kafala sponsorship system, which is the defining feature of Lebanese labour practice.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National, with labour arbitration councils hearing individual disputes.
Governing law
- Labour Code of 23 September 1946, as amended
- Social Security Law, Decree No. 13955 of 1963
In practice
The code provides for a 48-hour week, notice periods, end of service indemnity and arbitral councils to hear dismissal claims. Article 7 excludes domestic workers, agricultural workers and family businesses from its protections, and the exclusion of domestic workers is the point at which Lebanese practice attracts the most sustained international criticism: an estimated quarter of a million migrant domestic workers, mostly women, are governed by kafala sponsorship rather than labour law, with residence tied to a single employer. A standard unified contract was proposed and annulled by the Shura Council in 2020. Palestinian refugees also face occupational restrictions that limit access to many professions.