Employer of Record in Belize

General Information

• Currency: Belize Dollar (BZD)
• Employer Taxes: 5.0% – 8.13%
• Payroll Frequency: Monthly
• Employee Costs: 4.5%
• Capital: Belmopan
• Fiscal Year: 1 April – 31 March

Main Aspects of the Labour Code

Minimum Wage

General: The national minimum hourly wage in Belize is 5.00 BZD.

Payroll

Payroll Cycle: Employees may be paid on a weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly schedule.

13th Salary

In Belize, 13th-month payments are neither mandatory nor customary.

Working Hours

General: The standard workweek in Belize consists of a maximum of 45 hours, with a daily limit of 9 hours. All employees are entitled to at least one day of rest per week.

Overtime: Overtime is payable for any hours worked beyond 9 hours per day, generally at 150% of the regular salary. However, certain industries or jobs have different thresholds for when overtime begins. For example, the Shops Act specifies overtime starts after 8 hours, while the Labour Act sets it at 9 hours. If an employee works on a designated rest day or public holiday, they must be compensated at 150% of the regular rate, except for Christmas Day, Good Friday, or Easter Monday, where the rate increases to at least 200%. Time off in lieu may sometimes be offered as an alternative.

Leave

Annual Leave (Vacation):

Employees are entitled to two working weeks of paid leave annually. Typically, this leave is taken in one consecutive period, but if it is split into two separate periods, both the employer and employee must agree. When the leave is taken in one block, the full holiday pay must be provided no later than the day before the leave begins. If the leave is divided into two periods, the employer will split the holiday pay into two equal payments, with each portion paid immediately before the start of the respective leave period.

Public Holidays

There are 13 public holidays.

Sick Days

After an employee has worked for a company for at least 60 days within the past 12 months, they are entitled to 16 days of paid sick leave at their basic rate of pay. All sick leave must be supported by a medical certificate from a healthcare professional, provided within 48 hours of the sick leave commencing. For the first 16 days, the employer is responsible for paying the difference between what the Social Security Board (SSB) provides and the employee’s basic pay rate. Beyond these 16 days, the SSB will cover payments in accordance with the Social Security Act (Labor Act; Sec 131).

Maternity Leave

Insured women are entitled to maternity leave and payments, provided they meet specific eligibility criteria. If an employee has worked for the same employer for at least 150 days during the 12 months prior to taking leave, she is eligible for up to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave—seven weeks before and seven weeks after childbirth. Maternity pay is calculated at 80% of the employee’s average weekly insurable earnings over the 39 weeks preceding the start of maternity leave. The minimum benefit is 44.00 BZD per week, with a maximum benefit of 384.00 BZD per week.

Paternity Leave

Paternity leave is not required by law.

Parental Leave

Parental leave is not required by law.

Other Leave

There are no other leave types required by law in Belize.

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