How strongly does each country
protect its workers?
Employment-protection scores for 145 countries, fused from three official sources, termination rules, notice periods, severance pay, and dismissal costs, side by side.
According to the International Labour Organization, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, PlainEmploy compiles statutory employment-protection data for 145 countries through 2025; full sources and vintages are listed in our methodology.
Tajikistan has the strongest statutory worker protection (ILO EPLex 0.661/1.0), while Costa Rica has the most flexible dismissal rules (0.179/1.0).
PlainEmploy compares employment-protection law across 145 countries using three official sources: the ILO EPLex database, the World Bank B-READY report, and the OECD EPL index. Across 95 countries with ILO EPLex data, the median worker-protection score is 0.43 on a 0-1 scale, Tajikistan ranks the most protective, Costa Rica the most flexible.
The global picture
Across 95 countries with ILO EPLex data, the median worker-protection score is 0.43 on a 0–1 scale - Tajikistan ranks the most protective, while Costa Rica has the most flexible dismissal rules.
- 0.43
- median EPLex score (0–1)
- Tajikistan
- strongest - 0.661
- Costa Rica
- most flexible - 0.179
- 145
- countries, 3 official sources
Higher score = stronger statutory protection against unfair dismissal. Sources: ILO EPLex, World Bank B-READY, OECD EPL.
How worker protection is distributed worldwide
Every country with an ILO EPLex composite score, bucketed across the 0–1 protection scale. The marker shows the global median.
ILO EPLex composite, all rated countries
Worker-protection strength against unfair dismissal (0–1 scale)
0.43 Top 49% higher than 51% of 95 rated countries
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more rated countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source ILO EPLex composite (0–1 scale) · 2025
Worker Protection Rankings
ILO EPLex scores (0-1 scale, higher = more protection) measure how strongly each country's termination laws protect workers.
Most Protective
Highest EPLex composite scores
Least Protective
Lowest EPLex composite scores
Three Official Data Sources
PlainEmploy combines three major international datasets for the most comprehensive view of employment protection.
Detailed termination rules: notice periods, severance pay, probation, prohibited grounds for dismissal. 0-1 scale.
Labor regulation quality, dismissal costs, dispute resolution, social contributions. 0-100 scale. 2025 data.
Historical protection scores for regular employment, temporary contracts, and collective dismissal. 0-6 scale.
Best Labor Regulation Quality
World Bank B-READY 2025, Overall labor score (0-100, higher = better regulation quality).
Getting Started, Orientation Guides
Understanding EPL Scores
What the 0-6 OECD scale measures and how pillars are computed
Termination Laws by Country
Notice periods, severance, and dismissal rules compared
Gig Economy & Employment Law
How countries regulate platform work and classify gig workers
Reading Employment Statistics
Decode unemployment rates, participation, and underemployment
Hiring Internationally
Key compliance factors when expanding into global markets
Where to start
These scores rank the law as written across 145 countries, use them to compare, not as legal advice.
- See which of the 145 countries protect workers most, and which keep dismissal most flexible. View the rankings
- Comparing two specific countries? The three indices aren’t interchangeable, line them up side by side. Compare countries
- New to these scores? See exactly what ILO EPLex, World Bank B-READY, and OECD EPL each measure. Read the methodology
PlainEmploy reflects published indices of the law as written, not enforcement or any individual case. For a real decision, consult a qualified employment lawyer, see our disclaimer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PlainEmploy?
PlainEmploy is a free data portal that presents employment protection data for 145 countries from three official sources: the ILO Employment Protection Legislation database (EPLex), the World Bank Business Ready (B-READY) report, and the OECD EPL index. It shows how strongly each country's laws protect workers from unfair dismissal.
What do the different scores mean?
Each source uses a different scale. ILO EPLex scores range 0-1 (higher = more protection). World Bank B-READY scores range 0-100 (higher = better regulation quality). OECD EPL scores range 0-6 (higher = more protection). All three provide complementary views of employment law.
Where does the data come from?
ILO EPLex (2020 edition) covers termination rules for 95 countries. World Bank B-READY (2025) assesses labor regulation quality for 101 economies. OECD EPL (through 2019) provides historical employment protection scores for 72 countries. Together they cover 145 unique countries.
How current is this data?
The World Bank B-READY data was released in December 2025 and is the most current. ILO EPLex covers laws through 2020. OECD EPL data runs through 2019. Employment law changes slowly, so these scores remain broadly accurate for understanding country-level differences.
Deep Dives, Editorial Analysis
Longer-form editorial research that takes a single question and answers it with data, source citations, and worked examples. For orientation primers, see the Getting Started section above.
About this data
How PlainEmploy works, and why you can trust these numbers
What this site is
PlainEmploy is a free, plain-language reference comparing employment-protection law across 145 countries. We fuse three official public datasets, the ILO Employment Protection Legislation database (EPLex), the World Bank Business Ready (B-READY) report, and the OECD EPL index, into a single searchable set of country profiles, rankings, and comparisons, with every figure traceable back to its issuing source.
Editorial process
- Source. Pull the published indices directly from the ILO EPLex database, the World Bank B-READY report, and the OECD EPL dataset.
- Verify. Every country score is ingested and cross-checked against the originating agency's own published tables before it reaches a page.
- Publish. Compile a per-country profile, ranking, and region view, always citing which of the three sources powers each figure, so readers can trace any number back to the original index.
Editorial independence & corrections
The PlainEmploy editorial team is independent and accepts no payment, sponsorship, or promoted placement from any government, employer group, or labor organization. Found an error? File a correction via the contact page, we respond within a few business days. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
Frequently asked
What is PlainEmploy?
PlainEmploy is a free data portal that presents employment protection data for 145 countries from three official sources: the ILO Employment Protection Legislation database (EPLex), the World Bank Business Ready (B-READY) report, and the OECD EPL index. It shows how strongly each country's laws protect workers from unfair dismissal.
What do the different scores mean?
Each source uses a different scale. ILO EPLex scores range 0-1 (higher = more protection). World Bank B-READY scores range 0-100 (higher = better regulation quality). OECD EPL scores range 0-6 (higher = more protection). All three provide complementary views of employment law.
Where does the data come from?
ILO EPLex (2020 edition) covers termination rules for 95 countries. World Bank B-READY (2025) assesses labor regulation quality for 101 economies. OECD EPL (through 2019) provides historical employment protection scores for 72 countries. Together they cover 145 unique countries.
How current is this data?
The World Bank B-READY data was released in December 2025 and is the most current. ILO EPLex covers laws through 2020. OECD EPL data runs through 2019. Employment law changes slowly, so these scores remain broadly accurate for understanding country-level differences.