Data Sources
1
ILO / WB / OECD coverage
🇱🇰 Asia-Pacific
Sri Lanka
An ILO EPLex composite of 0.337 places Sri Lanka among light-protection jurisdictions on the 0-1 scale.
ILO EPLex
0.337 ILO EPLex composite (0–1)
Sri Lanka's statutory protection against unfair dismissal is light - an ILO EPLex composite of 0.337 on the 0–1 scale, more flexible than 79% of the 95 rated countries. Data is compiled from 1 official source (ILO EPLex), covering statutory notice periods, severance pay, and dismissal procedures.
Sri Lanka - the verdict
Sri Lanka's statutory protection against unfair dismissal is light - an ILO EPLex composite of 0.337 on the 0–1 scale, more flexible than 79% of the 95 rated countries.
- 0.337
- ILO EPLex composite (0–1)
- 79th
- percentile, flexibility
Sources: ILO EPLex. Higher = stronger statutory protection.
How we calculate this percentile
We sort every country with a published ILO EPLex composite score (95 in total) from lowest to highest. Sri Lanka's position in that sorted list gives its percentile: round((countries at or below its score ÷ 95) × 100). A higher percentile means stronger statutory dismissal protection relative to the full 95-country set, not a comparison to any single peer country.
Sri Lanka carries moderate employment protection scores across the 1 international dataset we track (Asia-Pacific). The ILO EPLex composite (2019) stands at 0.337/1.0. Statutory notice rules apply across 7 tenure tiers.
What the Data Shows for Sri Lanka
Asia-Pacific. Covered by 1/3 tracked datasets. The most recent ILO EPLex composite score is 0.337 out of 1.0 (2019), summarizing statutory termination rules into a single index.
Statutory notice periods in Sri Lanka scale with tenure across 7 tiers, reaching 1 month at 20 years of service. Severance pay can reach 10 months of salary at 20 years, while redundancy-specific pay is 10 months. The maximum probation period allowed by law is 25 months, defining how long employers can assess workers under reduced protection.
The EPLex redress/reinstatement sub-indicator is 0.625/1.0, reflecting how strong remedies are when a dismissal is ruled unlawful. 6 peer comparisons below.
How to read the three measurement scales
These figures draw on three different measurement traditions, so read each one on its own terms before comparing across countries. The ILO EPLex composite condenses statutory termination rules into a single index from zero to one, where higher numbers mean stronger legal protection against dismissal. The World Bank Business Ready 2025 labor score runs from zero to one hundred and blends the quality of regulation with how well public services and dispute processes actually work in practice. The OECD employment protection index uses a zero to six scale and only covers member economies, but it offers the longest historical series, which makes it the better choice for tracking reform over time. A country can score strictly on paper yet still process dismissals quickly, so always weigh the statutory index against the practical estimates. Where a country appears in fewer than all three datasets, treat the missing measures as not yet collected rather than as a sign of weak protection, and revisit this page when new releases are published because indicators can shift year over year.
Region
Asia-Pacific
Geographic grouping
Latest Year
2019
Most recent indicator update
Sri Lanka vs. every rated country
Where Sri Lanka's ILO EPLex composite sits among all 95 countries with a composite score.
Sri Lanka - ILO EPLex composite
Worker-protection strength against unfair dismissal (0–1 scale)
0.34 Top 79% higher than 21% 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) · 2019
Sri Lanka EPLex composite 33.7%
Out of a 1.0 maximum. Higher = stronger statutory protection against dismissal.
ILO EPLex (2019)
0.337
out of 1.0 · Rank #76
B-READY 2025
-
No data available
OECD EPL
-
No data available
ILO EPLex
Termination Protection Breakdown (2019)
Prohibited Grounds for Dismissal 0.500
Probation Period 0.000
Procedural Requirements 1.000
Notice Periods 0.112
Severance Pay 0.065
Redundancy Pay 0.107
Redress / Reinstatement 0.625
Scale: 0 = no protection · 1 = maximum protection. Source: ILO EPLex 2019.
Max probation period: 25 months
Notice Periods by Tenure
| Tenure | Notice Period |
|---|---|
| 6 months | 0 months |
| 9 months | 0 months |
| 2 years | 1 month |
| 4 years | 1 month |
| 5 years | 1 month |
| 10 years | 1 month |
| 20 years | 1 month |
Source: ILO EPLex ILO EPLex Notice period is the legally mandated advance notice before termination
Severance and Redundancy Pay by Tenure
| Tenure | Severance | Redundancy |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 0 mo | 0 mo |
| 9 months | 0 mo | 0 mo |
| 2 years | 0 mo | 0 mo |
| 4 years | 0 mo | 0 mo |
| 5 years | 2.5 mo | 2.5 mo |
| 10 years | 5 mo | 5 mo |
| 20 years | 10 mo | 10 mo |
Values in salary-months. Source: ILO EPLex. Severance = individual dismissal. Redundancy = collective/economic dismissal.
Compare Sri Lanka With...
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the employment protections in Sri Lanka?
ILO EPLex termination protection composite score: 0.337/1.0 (2019); 7 notice period tiers defined by law; 7 severance/redundancy pay tiers. (1 source.)
How does Sri Lanka compare to the OECD average?
No OECD data; ILO EPLex composite 0.337/1.0 instead.
What notice period and severance pay does Sri Lanka require?
up to 1 month notice (20 years); severance up to 10 months (20 years).
What data sources cover Sri Lanka's employment laws?
1 source: ILO EPLex.
How strict are dismissal protections in Sri Lanka?
EPLex 2019: relatively flexible (0.337/1.0); max probation 25mo.
How does Sri Lanka handle labor disputes?
EPLex redress indicator 0.625/1.0.
What to do with this
Use Sri Lanka's scores as a comparison benchmark, not legal advice.
- Sri Lanka sits below 79% of rated countries on statutory dismissal protection (ILO EPLex 0.337/1.0) - see exactly where it lands among all 95. View the rankings
- The three indices measure different things on different scales, compare Sri Lanka side by side with another country before drawing a conclusion. Compare Sri Lanka
- Read Sri Lanka against its regional peers, the Asia-Pacific averages reveal the structural pattern. Asia-Pacific overview
These indices reflect the law as written, not how it is enforced, recent amendments, or the facts of any individual case. For a real decision, confirm the current statute and consult a qualified employment lawyer, see our disclaimer.
Related
Data sourced from official OECD, ILO, and World Bank employment-protection datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainEmploy Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from OECD, ILO, and World Bank labor market databases. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Primary sources: ILO EPLex, World Bank B-READY, OECD EPL.
PlainEmploy is rendered directly from the OECD Employment Protection Legislation indicators, the ILO EPLex database, and the World Bank B-READY labor pillar, no number is typed in by an editor. This country's composite scores and comparisons are computed directly from the underlying OECD/EPLex/B-READY tables, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-06.