Employer in Fiji

A written employment contract must be signed by both parties when the employment arrangement is written and must include at least the information required by Schedule 2 of the Employment Relations Act 2007. The contract should also state how disputes are handled. Clauses requiring medical screening for HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy are not permitted. Employers must follow minimum employment standards, avoid discrimination, provide equal pay for comparable work and address sexual harassment. They need reliable payroll and personnel records, internal complaint channels and documented procedures for employment decisions. The Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations handles labour standards, inspections, occupational health and safety, mediation and productivity matters. Its National Employment Centre operates a Local Employment Registration System that began on 1 February 2026 and matches jobseekers with employers. Employer vacancy posting through that system is planned as a future enhancement, so the available research does not establish it as a mandatory recruitment channel. A private employment agency or employment business requires authorisation from the Permanent Secretary. Employers sponsoring foreign workers prepare permit documents, provide non-negotiable contract terms and obtain evidence that the worker understood and signed the agreement; repatriation follows the contract. Employers with more than 20 workers need a Labour Management Consultation and Cooperation Committee, known as an LMCCC, with at least one employer-side committee. Management and worker representatives use it to review work practices, productivity and workplace relations through good-faith dialogue. An LMCCC supplements rather than replaces a registered trade union. A collective agreement binds the employer, the party union and the union members covered by it, and both employer and union are expected to act in good faith. Sector-specific Wages Regulations can add requirements beyond the general framework. The Health and Safety at Work Act 1996 requires employers to protect workers and, in relevant circumstances, other people affected by the workplace. This includes safe premises and systems, safe handling, storage and transport, suitable information, instruction, training and supervision, safe access, welfare facilities and an occupational health and safety policy prepared in consultation. Employers with 20 or more workers need a Health and Safety Committee. Where fewer than 20 workers are employed, a majority can appoint a Health and Safety Representative. A committee meets at least once every three months during working hours and keeps minutes for at least seven years. An occupational health and safety inspection generally requires the company policy, Company Registration Certificate, National Fire Authority certificate and emergency evacuation plan; the stated reference charge is FJD 90 and the indicative processing time is three working days. A corporation can face a fine of up to FJD 100,000 for health and safety offences. Contract disputes normally follow the procedure stated in the contract and can then be reported to the Permanent Secretary or Mediation Services. A mediator may seek a flexible and quick settlement. If mediation fails, the Employment Relations Tribunal can decide the dispute. A party may appear personally or through an authorised representative, while a legal practitioner is not permitted to represent a party in mediation. Strike and lockout rules, including essential-service restrictions, apply to relevant disputes; self-help is not a sound substitute for the available procedures. When economic, technological or structural change creates redundancy, the employer must provide the worker, representative and Permanent Secretary with information at least 30 days before termination. The information covers the reasons, the number and categories of affected workers and the expected period. Early consultation should examine ways to avoid or reduce dismissals, alternative employment and retraining. Employers also register with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service within 30 days of becoming an employer, including when employing casual or seasonal workers, and use the Taxpayer Online Service for PAYE. Employees register with the Fiji National Provident Fund within one month of starting work; employers pay monthly contributions by the end of the month and keep personnel, wage and remittance records for seven years. The employer contribution rate is 8% from 1 August 2026, with an 8% employee contribution, and an FNPF amnesty for older debts runs until 31 October 2026. Immigration permits, tax, provident-fund, wage and sector costs vary with the workforce and activity rather than following one universal employer fee.