Lesson 1Night work, weekend work and special schedules (shift work) and legal implicationsDis section tackles night work, weekend work, and shift systems, explaining night premium rules, reduced night hour, rotating shifts, continuous operations, collective bargaining, and HR strategies to manage health, safety, and cost impacts in Sierra Leone context.
Definition and calculation of night workNight premium and reduced night hour rulesWeekend and holiday work requirementsContinuous and rotating shift systemsCollective bargaining on special schedulesHealth and safety in atypical schedulesLesson 2Moral harassment (assédio moral) and discrimination under Sierra Leone law and court trendsDis section examines moral harassment and discrimination under Sierra Leone law, defining prohibited conduct, protected characteristics, employer liability, investigation standards, remedies, and HR policies to prevent, detect, and address abusive or discriminatory practices in local workplaces.
Concept and patterns of moral harassmentProtected characteristics and discriminationEmployer liability and duty to prevent harmInternal reporting and investigation stepsSanctions, damages and court approachesTraining and culture to prevent harassmentLesson 3Pregnancy protections: maternity leave, stability, reassignment during risk pregnancy and anti-retaliation rulesDis section explores pregnancy protections, including maternity leave, job stability, risk pregnancy reassignment, breastfeeding breaks, anti-retaliation rules, and HR practices for confidentiality, accommodation, and compliant communication wid managers in Sierra Leone.
Confirmation of pregnancy and job stabilityMaternity leave duration and pay sourcesReassignment during risk pregnancyBreastfeeding breaks and facilitiesProtection against retaliation and biasManaging communication with managersLesson 4Evidence rules and burdens in labour litigation: records, pay sheets, electronic logs and admissible proofDis section covers evidence rules in labour disputes, focusing on burden of proof, employer record-keeping duties, time and pay records, electronic logs, witness evidence, and HR strategies to build defensible documentation and reduce litigation risk under Sierra Leone laws.
Burden of proof in labour proceedingsEmployer record-keeping duties under Employment ActTime sheets, pay slips and electronic logsUse of emails, chats and digital evidenceWitnesses, statements and credibility issuesHR checklists for litigation-ready filesLesson 5Working hours, daily and weekly limits, and rest periods under Employment Act and complementary rulesDis section details Employment Act rules on working hours, daily and weekly limits, rest breaks, weekly paid rest, exceptions, and documentation, guiding HR on designing schedules, monitoring compliance, and avoiding overtime and fatigue-related liabilities in Sierra Leone.
Standard daily and weekly hour limitsIntraday rest and meal break requirementsWeekly paid rest and Sunday work rulesSpecial regimes for small groups of workersControls for working time and attendanceManaging fatigue and health in schedulingLesson 6Employer obligations on health and safety: standards, safety committees, medical exams and mental health considerationsDis section explains employer duties on occupational health and safety, focusing on local standards, safety committees, mandatory medical exams, mental health promotion, documentation, and HR’s role in preventing liability and supporting safe, healthy workplaces in Sierra Leone.
Key standards impacting HR practiceSafety committee planning, content and documentationMandatory admission and periodic medical examsReturn-to-work and change-of-role evaluationsMental health risks, burnout and preventionRecording, reporting and investigating incidentsLesson 7Severance payments and calculations: gratuity, notice period, accrued leave, bonuses and other liabilitiesDis section explains severance components and calculations, including gratuity deposits and fines, prior notice, accrued and proportional vacation, 13th salary equivalent, other typical liabilities, and HR controls to avoid errors, disputes, and penalties at termination in Sierra Leone.
Gratuity deposits, statements and finesPrior notice: worked and indemnified formsAccrued and proportional vacation payBonus proportional calculation rulesOther typical termination entitlementsHR audits to prevent severance errorsLesson 8Overview of Employment Act structure and sources of labour regulationDis section introduces the Employment Act structure and main sources of Sierra Leone labour regulation, including the Constitution, statutes, regulations, standards, collective bargaining, and case law, highlighting how HR should interpret and prioritize overlapping norms.
Hierarchy of labour norms in Sierra LeoneEmployment Act organization and key sections for HRRole of the Constitution in labourRegulatory decrees and standardsCollective agreements and conventionsCase law, rulings and jurisprudence trendsLesson 9Termination modalities: dismissals with and without cause, just cause requirements, prior warnings and documentationDis section details termination types under Sierra Leone law, including dismissal with and without cause, just cause requirements, progressive discipline, prior warnings, documentation standards, and HR’s role in reducing litigation and ensuring fair, lawful processes.
Dismissal without cause and legal limitsJust cause grounds under Employment Act and case lawProgressive discipline and prior warningsPerformance documentation and improvement plansTermination meetings and communicationDelivering and archiving termination recordsLesson 10Overtime rules, limits, pay rates, compensatory time off and collective agreementsDis section clarifies overtime rules, limits, pay rates, compensatory time off, time banks, and the role of collective agreements, offering HR tools to design lawful arrangements, control hours, and minimize disputes over extra work in Sierra Leone.
Legal overtime limits and exceptionsOvertime pay rates and calculation basisTime banks: legal models and risksIndividual versus collective time banksRecording and approving extra hoursAuditing overtime to reduce disputes
