• The daily workday is 8 hours and the weekly workday is 48 hours maximum.
• Regarding the minimum wage in Panama, the rates are set by hour, region, economic activity, occupation and size of the companies. For more information, please visit the following link: https://www.mitradel.gob.pa/el-salario-minimo-en-panama
• The maximum night shift is 7 hours and the respective work week, up to 42 hours if you work at night.
• The maximum duration of the mixed workday (i.e. some hours during the day and others at night) is seven and a half hours (7:30h), and of the corresponding workweek, up to 45 hours.
• Daytime overtime is paid at 25% of salary, while nighttime overtime is paid at 50%.
• Vacation: 30 days are granted for every eleven continuous months of work. In other words, one day for every eleven days in the service of an employer as agreed between the employer and the employee.
• Weekly rest day is mandatory.
• You are entitled to rest time when you are working.
• Your rest periods cannot be less than half an hour.
• When you work a mixed or night shift, it is necessary to negotiate with your employer your rest periods in a way that does not affect the performance of your duties.

• The contract may be verbal or written. However, we encourage you to seek a written contract to back you up.
• Domestic work is not subject to a timetable, but your absolute rest hours are from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
• You are entitled to your weekly rest day and paid annual leave.
• The domestic servant is entitled to paid rest during national holidays or national mourning days.
• In a contract of domestic service, the first two weeks will be considered as a trial period and either party may terminate it at will.
• Once the trial period has expired, the party wishing to terminate the contract must give the other party thirty days' notice, which may be given verbally. Again, we encourage you to always seek written notice.
• You are entitled to severance pay if your employer decides to terminate your contract.
• It is the employer's right to ask you for a health certificate. You can obtain it free of charge from doctors in the service of the Social Security Fund, or any doctor from any other state institution.
• The minimum monthly salary for domestic workers is B/.315.00 for region 1 and B/.290.00 for region 2 (Article 4 of Executive Decree N°74 of 2021).

If you are engaged in regular agricultural, livestock or forestry work for one or more employers, read more here:

• Employers must pay wages at the place where the workers render their services and in periods of time not exceeding a fortnight;
• If you are a permanent farm worker and must live on the site where you work, it is the duty of the employer to provide you and your dependents with living quarters, or a place to live.
• In both cases the rooms shall be free of charge, adequate and hygienic.

• Commercial agents, traveling salespersons, sales promoters, sales drivers and promoters, collectors and other similar persons are employees of the company to which they render their services.

• The notice must be given to you in written form (except in special cases) and this document must clearly state the date and the reasons for your dismissal so that your employer cannot later claim "more reasons". This is found in article 224 of the Panamanian Labor Code.
• Upon termination of any contract for an indefinite period of time, regardless of the cause of termination, the worker will be entitled to receive a seniority bonus from his employer.
• How do you know how much you are entitled to?

You can go to the Ministry of Labor for help in calculating your benefits.

In case you are the one who makes the decision, remember that Panamanian law indicates that you must also notify your boss in writing and 15 days in advance.

• Migrants in an irregular condition may regularize their migratory status before the National Immigration Service, as long as a migratory option is viable and they comply with the mandatory migratory requirements and cancel their fines for irregular entry and/or stay.
• The ordinary migratory procedures contemplated in the Decree of Law No. 3, allow migrants who are in Panama to have access to work permits, stays, temporary and permanent residences.
• However, it should be considered that none of them explicitly mentions that those who are in irregular migratory conditions may have access to them. Despite this lack of clarity in the regulations, civil society has pointed out that people in an irregular situation have managed to regularize their status through this route, as long as they pay the fines for irregular entry and/or stay, in addition to the requirements demanded.