Senegal's National Assembly adopts new labor and social security codes
Senegal's National Assembly has adopted new labor and social security codes, with 129 out of 165 votes for each. The new labor code aims to update and strengthen labor legislation in line with global legal and economic changes. Key innovations include the introduction of telework, more flexible rules for renewing fixed-term employment contracts, and enhanced protections for maternity, children, and disabled workers. It also replaces daily employment contracts with occasional employment contracts and removes the requirement for prior conciliation before labor courts. The social security code introduces significant changes, such as harmonizing the legal framework for social security and establishing universal health insurance. This universal health insurance will comprise three schemes: mandatory health insurance for workers under the labor and merchant marine codes, mandatory health insurance for self-employed workers, and a medical assistance scheme. The government states that this reform aligns with the national development strategy's focus on "Quality Human Capital and Social Equity," aiming to create an inclusive, equitable, and accessible social protection system for all.
