Forced Labour
Prohibition on Forced and Compulsory Labour
Forced or compulsory is prohibited and outlawed under the Labour Law. Hiring people for work to pay off debts is also forbidden.
The acts of submitting a person, by abusing his/her vulnerability, or his/her situation of dependence, to working conditions incompatible with human dignity, is punishable by imprisonment ranging from 01 month to one year and a fine of between KHR100,000 and KHR2,000,000 (two million).
The 2007 Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation prohibits “any form of exploitation” which includes the exploitation of the prostitution of others, pornography, commercial sex act, forced labour or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, child labour or the removal of organs.
Sources: §15-16 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2021); §274 of the Criminal Code; Law on Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation, 2007
Freedom to Change Jobs and Right to Quit
According to the Cambodian constitution, every citizen has the right to choose any employment according to their abilities and the needs of the society.
Labour law states that workers have the right to change jobs after serving due notice to their employers. The duration of the notice period depends on the length of service of the worker. For more information on this, please refer to the section on employment security.
Sources: §36 of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, of 21 September 1993 (as amended in 1999); §75 of the Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2021)
Inhumane Working Conditions
Working time may be extended beyond the normal working hours of forty-eight hours per week and eight hours a day. However, total hours of work, inclusive of overtime, must not exceed ten hours a day. An extension of one hour per day is also allowed for 30 days per year to make up for hours lost following mass interruptions in the work or a general slowdown from either accidental causes or acts of God (force majeure), notably bad weather or because of holidays, local festivals, or other local events. However, even in such a case, the daily working hours cannot exceed 10 hours per day.
For more information on this, please refer to the section on compensation.
Sources: §137,140 & 197 of the Labour Law,
Regulations on Forced Labour
- Labour Law, promulgated by Royal Order No. CS/RKM/0397/01 of 13 March 1997 (amended in 2018)
- Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia, of 21 September 1993 (as amended 1999)
- Criminal Code