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Employ Candidates Compliantly in Belize

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  1. Overview: Belize
  2. Work permit for hiring expats via PEO
  3. Global PEO and payroll
  4. Global HR Compliance
  5. Expand without a company set up
  6. Contractor vs. employee: which is better?
  7. Global Payroll Calculator
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Global HR Compliance in Belize

If you hire international workforce, or plan to hire, then Hiring and Firing Workforce in Belize Guide below will help you understand the nuances of labor legislation in the country.

There are two main reasons for companies hiring foreign workforce:

  • Expanding into foreign markets to sell company product or products there. In this case, companies hire sales representatives who would exclusively represent their product in the target market and sell it to their local client base.
  • Hiring the right foreign talent with a unique expertise, often related to IT sphere that cannot be found in the home country or that costs less compared to local specialist with similar skills.

After you have found the right candidate, the question is how to hire and provide compensation to this person so you as a business remain 100% compliant when working with global workforce. Another thing to consider is whether you want to keep the talent long-term and how you can do that.

If you need to hire foreign workforce in Belize so you can expand there, then our Global Employer of Record solution may be of help. We help you legally hire and reward your foreign workforce by making them employees via a global employment outsourcing service. This is simple as employ your in-house workforce with the only difference that workers can live anywhere in the world and Acumen International would be their legal employer on your behalf. This means we would bear all employment risks, not you. Also, we manage bonuses, vacations, sick leave and can rent the office and a car for your foreign sales representatives if that is what you need.

With our solution, you can test new foreign markets before deciding whether you are going to get established there. You gain flexibility and expand with reduced costs, and easily withdraw from the unattractive countries.

We are experts in global workforce employment in Belize, and our goal is to become your single provider. Instead of working with numerous local staffing agencies and legal advisors, Acumen International can solve your global business challenges and save you time, costs, and resources.

Our team of English-speaking professionals frees you from working through language nuances. Acumen International works 24/7 and can assist you whenever you need, regardless of time zones. Our goal is to create tailored labor solutions for you that are managed legally and in full compliance with the local employment laws.

With our knowledge and deep understanding of local nuances, you easily satisfy your need for skilled professionals in your global industry. With our qualified local partners, you can trust that your global workforce satisfies all local tax, social security, and immigration requirements in Belize.

Hiring and Firing Workforce in Belize Guide

# Employment Contracts

Contracts of employment may be concluded in writing or orally. Contracts of employment are required to be drawn up in writing in the following events:

  • Contracts are concluded to last for a period of (or number of days that is equivalent to) 3 months;
  • Contracts contain terms and conditions that are different from the standard requirements that are stipulated in the district of employment for similar work;
  • Contracts are concluded in Belize for jobs that are to be executed abroad.

As a rule, contracts of employment shall contain, among others, the details of the employment parties’ identities and that of their next of kin (where possible), place of employment/engagement, nature of job, duration, wage rate, procedures for calculation and conditions of payment, notice of termination, and other special conditions that are peculiar to the contracts.

# Minimum statutory employment rights

# Hours of work
Employees have the right to work more than 9 hours a day, 6 days a week or 45 hours a week. Employees are entitled to at least one-hour break in-between their workday if their workday exceeds 6 hours. Employers must allow their employees to take at least 9 hours of night rest each workday.

# Probation period
The first two weeks of commencing an employment are usually considered to be probationary period, but both parties of employment may agree on a longer probationary period of up to 6 months. In the event of a longer probationary period, employers shall grant their employees all the benefits (leave benefit, notice period, etc.) that they accrue while on probation

# Annual leave
Employees are entitled to 2 workweeks of annual leave on average pay towards the end of every year of service.

# Parental leave
Female employees are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave with full pay. Maternity leave must be given in such a way that ensures that at least 2 weeks of the leave are used before confinement and at least 7 weeks afterwards. Employees are entitled to use up to 7 weeks of maternity leave before childbirth and the remaining after childbearing.

Employees shall be eligible for paid maternity leave if:

  • they provide their employers with a medical certificate specifying their due date no later than 10 days prior to start of the leave;
  • they have worked for their employers for at least 150 days during the 12 months that precede their confinement.

# Sick leave
Employees are entitled to 16 working days of paid sick leave per year after they have worked for at least 60 days with the company. Employees must provide their employers with sick note to be eligible for paid sick leave. Employees must provide their sick note within 48 hours of being informed in writing by their employers.

# Overtime
Overtime cannot be forced on any employee, rather can only be done by mutual consent. Overtime worked during a normal working day must be compensated at one and a half of normal wage rate. This is applicable to overtime worked on any of the public holidays that are not Good Friday, Easter Monday or Christmas. Employees must be paid twice as much as their normal wage rate if they work overtime on Good Friday, Easter Monday or Christmas.

# State minimum salary
The standard minimum wage rate is BZ$3.30 per hour.

# Employment termination
Contracts of employment may be terminated without a notice by any of the parties of employment within the first 2 weeks of commencing employment. After the first 2 weeks of employment, employers may terminate their employees’ employment contracts with a prior notice as follows:

  • One-week notice if they have worked for 2 weeks to 6 months with the company;
  • Two-week notice if they have worked for 6 months to 2 years with the company;
  • Four-week notice if they have worked for 2 – 5 years with the company;
  • Eight-week notice if they have worked for more than 5 years with the company.

Upon termination, employees who have continuously worked for their employers for a period of 5 – 10 years, or are terminated for medical reasons or have reached retirement age or the age of 60 shall be provided with a severance pay of one-week wage for each completed year of service. Employees with over 10 years of continuous employment with the company are entitled to a severance pay of two-week wage for each completed year of service. Casual workers must work up to an aggregate of 180 days a year to be eligible for severance payment.

Acumen International can help you fast-track your possibilities of entering and expanding your business in Belize by providing you with our Employer of Record services. Our unique mix of PEO/EOR solutions will enable you to jumpstart your global operations almost immediately, cost-effectively and compliantly without any need to set up a legal entity first or afterwards.

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