On 3 June 2026, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan signed the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Amendments and Additions to Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Improving Labour Legislation,” aimed at strengthening the protection of labour rights, enhancing occupational safety, and further developing the system of social partnership.
The Law was drafted and adopted with the active participation of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (FTURK), which consistently advocated, in cooperation with members of Parliament, government bodies, and social partners, for stronger worker protections, improved workplace safety, enhanced social dialogue, and broader mechanisms for safeguarding the rights of working people.
The Law introduces amendments to the Labour Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System,” and the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Local Government and Self-Government in the Republic of Kazakhstan.”
Most provisions of the Law will enter into force 60 calendar days after its first official publication. Certain provisions concerning employee screening examinations and digital interaction between healthcare organizations and employers will come into effect on 1 January 2027.
The main package of amendments has been introduced into the Labour Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
One of the most significant innovations is the expansion of the powers of occupational safety inspectors. While the institution of technical labour protection inspectors already existed, their status, rights, and operational mechanisms are now more comprehensively defined directly in the Labour Code.
Occupational safety inspectors have been granted the right to request necessary information from employers, visit production facilities and workplaces, participate in the investigation of workplace accidents, conduct internal occupational safety monitoring, submit proposals for improving working conditions, and take part in the development of internal occupational safety regulations.
In practice, these measures will strengthen the prevention of workplace injuries, facilitate the rapid identification of safety violations, ensure timely responses to potentially hazardous working conditions, and increase workers’ involvement in occupational safety matters. In effect, public oversight of workplace safety within organizations is being significantly reinforced.
A separate set of amendments concerns strengthening guarantees of respectful treatment of employees. For the first time, the Labour Code explicitly enshrines an employee’s right to respect, protection of honour and dignity in employment, and the right to privacy in the workplace.
These changes are aimed at creating a modern working environment in which humiliation, psychological pressure, abusive treatment, and other forms of disrespect toward workers are unacceptable. They also provide additional legal grounds for protecting employees in labour disputes and workplace conflicts.
Social guarantees for workers have also been significantly strengthened. Employers are now required to grant employees leave for preventive screening examinations while preserving their position and average earnings.
Major reforms have been introduced to promote employee health and prevent occupational diseases. The legislator has substantially modernized the procedure for granting paid leave for preventive screening examinations.
It should be noted that the right to a three-day leave period with job and wage protection is not entirely new; it has existed in Kazakhstan’s Labour Code since 2020. However, due to the absence of a transparent verification mechanism, the provision often remained largely declarative. The new amendments fundamentally transform this process by introducing a comprehensive digital system and eliminating subjective managerial discretion. Employers are now under a mandatory obligation not only to preserve employment but also to take active measures to ensure that employees undergo screening examinations. Direct legal liability is introduced for failure to comply with this requirement.
These provisions, which integrate the Ministry of Health, the digital ecosystem, and employers into a unified preventive monitoring framework, will help shift the occupational safety system from responding to consequences and occupational diseases toward the automated early detection of health risks affecting working people.
The Law also strengthens guarantees for employees during periods of temporary disability and social leave. If the termination date of an employment contract coincides with a period of sick leave or social leave, the termination is postponed until the first day following the end of that period.
This provision is intended to provide additional protection to employees during particularly vulnerable periods and to prevent termination of employment while an individual is ill or on social leave.
The amendments also enhance transparency in labour relations. Employers are now required to provide written explanations for refusals to conclude employment contracts in cases stipulated by law. In addition, when imposing disciplinary sanctions, employers must take into account the nature of the violation, the circumstances under which it occurred, and the degree of the employee’s remorse.
These measures will promote a more objective approach to personnel decisions and reduce the risk of unjustified refusals to hire or excessively severe disciplinary actions.
Amendments to the Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Public Health and the Healthcare System” introduce digital interaction among healthcare organizations, employees, and employers. Medical organizations will be able to notify employees about required screening examinations and provide employers with information regarding employees subject to such examinations.
These measures are expected to increase the effectiveness of preventive healthcare, improve employee participation in screening programmes, and simplify the organization of preventive health measures at enterprises.
Amendments to the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan “On Local Government and Self-Government in the Republic of Kazakhstan” strengthen the powers of local executive bodies in implementing state policy on labour, occupational safety, and health.
In practice, this will enable local authorities to play a more active role in preventing labour disputes, coordinating social partnership at the regional level, monitoring occupational safety conditions, and responding promptly to workplace issues.
The adopted amendments are aimed at further improving labour legislation, strengthening occupational safety, and enhancing the protection of labour rights for citizens of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
FTURK Legal Affairs Department