On 23 March 2021, the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training (“MLVT”) issued instructions on the implementation of the Khmer New Year holidays for 2021 (“Instruction No. 29”) in response to the current situation of COVID-19 in Cambodia.

In accordance with the Instruction, all enterprises are required to implement one of the two following options:

• allow employees to go on holiday as normal. As in previous years, where enterprises need to continue operations during the holidays, they may rotate staff to take leave in different groups based on the enterprise operational needs. Where such rotations are implemented, records on leave rotation must be kept for future labour inspection; or
• postponing this holiday to the Pchum Ben holiday season in October or to any other date, if mutually agreed to by and between the employer and the shop steward or employee’s representative. This mutual agreement shall be made in writing and kept for future labour inspection.

The MLVT continues to remind all employees to keep practicing the 3 don’ts and 3 prevention measures during the upcoming holidays.

If you have any questions or require any additional information, please contact Matthew Rendall, OI Phirum, or Liew Shan Berg of SokSiphana&associates (a member of ZICO Law).

This alert is for general information only and is not a substitute for legal advice.