Employment in Honduras

An employment relationship exists in Honduras regardless of the contract’s designation when a person works personally, remains permanently subject to the instructions of an employer (patrono), and receives wages in return. The employment relationship is generally presumed. The employer must record the agreement in writing; if the written document is missing, the employee’s account of the employment may be presumed to reflect its terms in a dispute. A probationary period may last no more than 60 days, must be agreed in writing, and must be paid. During this period, the relationship may generally end without notice or severance pay, while other statutory benefits remain unaffected. The Secretariat of Labor and Social Security (Secretaría de Trabajo y Seguridad Social, SETRASS), its General Directorate of Employment (Dirección General de Empleo), and Employment Centers (Centros de Empleo) connect job seekers with vacancies through the National Employment Service of Honduras (SENAEH), Empléate, job fairs, and workshops. SI EMPLEO requires only the national identity card (tarjeta de identidad) for registration, but it does not guarantee employment. Private placement agencies are subject to regulation. Young people may generally enter into a contract from the age of 16. Under 16, only narrowly limited employment with written consent and the involvement of a labor inspector or mayor is permitted; employment under 14 is generally prohibited. For foreign workers, the required documents include lawful residence, registration with the migration authority, an original job offer or certificate (constancia), and a work card (Carnet de Trabajo). The work card costs L25 through TGR-1 and is valid for two years under the applicable rules. The statutory minimum wage for 2026 depends on the economic sector and the size of the business and ranges from L9,596.64 to L19,298.72 per month. The table distinguishes, among other sectors, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, construction, commerce, restaurants and hotels, transport, financial and business services, hospitals, and ZOLI enterprises; the specific business line therefore determines the applicable row. For businesses with at least 16 employees, the Educational Bonus (Bono Educativo) may also apply. Manual workers receive their wages no more than weekly, while employees performing intellectual work and domestic workers receive them no more than monthly. Equal work may not be paid differently because of age, sex, nationality, race, religion, political opinion, or trade-union membership. The statutory daily working time is no more than eight hours during the day and 44 hours per week, and six hours at night and 36 hours per week. Mixed working time is limited to seven hours per day and 42 hours per week. For continuous shifts, a break of at least 30 minutes counts as working time. There should be at least ten hours of rest between two working days; after six working days, a rest day follows. Overtime may result in no more than 12 working hours in total per day. Night work carries surcharges of 25, 50, or 75 percent, depending on the circumstances; work on public holidays or rest days is paid at double the normal rate. Permanent employees are entitled to the year-end bonus (aguinaldo) and the fourteenth-month payment (décimo cuarto mes). Both payments are prorated when the employment lasts less than 12 months; the fourteenth-month payment is paid in June and, after 12 months, is fully due through June 30. Annual leave amounts to 10, 12, 15, or 20 working days after one, two, three, or at least four years, respectively. Unused leave is paid pro rata when employment ends; the employer should grant leave no later than three months after the entitlement arises and pay it at least three days before it begins. Maternity protection covers four weeks before and six weeks after childbirth. During the first six months of breastfeeding, there are two paid breastfeeding breaks of 30 minutes each per day. Dismissal during pregnancy and until three months after childbirth generally requires approval from a labor inspector or mayor. Businesses with more than 20 employees must provide a nursing or childcare room under the Labor Code (Código de Trabajo). Formal employment may include the Honduran Social Security Institute (Instituto Hondureño de Seguridad Social, IHSS) regimes for invalidity, old age, and survivors (IVM), sickness and maternity (EM), and occupational risks (RP). The exact contribution rates and contribution ceilings for 2026 must be calculated under the current IHSS guidelines; as an accessible legal basis for 2025, the applicable rates were a 2.5 percent employee contribution for IVM and 2.5 percent for EM, as well as a 3.5 percent employer contribution for IVM, 5 percent for EM, and 0.2 percent for RP, with a contribution ceiling of L11,903.13. Informal work often lacks IHSS coverage, a written contract, statutory benefits, and later retirement provision. The tax authority (SAR) calculates 2026 income tax progressively: annual income up to L228,324.32 is tax-free, followed by 15 percent up to L348,154.10, 20 percent up to L809,660.75, and 25 percent from L809,660.76. The employer withholds the tax from dependent employees. For an open-ended contract, the notice period (preaviso) depends on the length of employment: 24 hours for less than three months, one week for three to six months, two weeks for six to twelve months, one month for one to two years, and two months for more than two years. The employer may replace the notice period by paying the corresponding wages. In the case of unjustified dismissal or a legally equivalent cause, severance pay (cesantía) may arise: 10 working days after three to six months, 20 working days after more than six months and less than one year, and thereafter generally one month’s wage per year of employment, up to a maximum of 15 months. The calculation is generally based on the average wage of the last six months. When employment ends, the employee may request a free employment certificate stating the start and end dates, the position, and the last wage. In cases of unpaid wages, incorrect working-time calculations, safety violations, or problems with termination, the Labor Inspection (Inspección del Trabajo) of SETRASS may be contacted. Evidence such as an identity document, contract, payslips, messages, and correspondence facilitates the review; identity may be protected where appropriate. By law, a complaint should trigger an inspection within no more than five working days. The Office of the Labor Procurator-General (Procuraduría General del Trabajo) provides advice and support in labor claims. Through SIHCAL, cases, complaints, conciliations, and documents can be submitted online; the services of the labor and occupational-safety authorities are free under the Labor Code.