Kazakhstan amends labor legislation to bolster worker rights

The text of the law will be officially published in the press.

The amendments to the Labor Code include provisions that:

• Clarify and expand the fundamental principles of labor legislation, including establishing the worker's right to respect and protection of honor and dignity;
• Strengthen the role of social partnership and expand the powers of local executive bodies;
• Introduce additional guarantees for employees, including during medical examinations and screening tests;
• Clarify the rules for concluding, extending, and terminating employment contracts, including in cases of temporary disability and social leave;
• Improve disciplinary procedures, taking into account the nature and severity of the misconduct;
• Develop the occupational safety system, including introducing the role of the technical occupational safety inspector;
• Strengthen employer obligations to ensure safe working conditions and respect employees' labor rights.

Amendments to the Code on the People's Health and the Healthcare System will introduce provisions aimed at digitalizing interactions between medical organizations, employees and employers, including notifying employees of the need to undergo screening tests and sending relevant information to employers.

Under the Law on Local Public Administration and Self-Governance, the powers of akimats (local executive bodies) are expanded to include implementing state policy in the areas of labor, safety, and occupational health within their respective administrative-territorial units.

Qazinform News Agency previously reported that AI may replace up to 400,000 workers in Kazakhstan.