Labour Law No. 14 of 2025 and Ministerial Decree No. 187 of 2025 change how resignations are submitted, approved, accepted and withdrawn. The new procedure, the notice period and the practical steps for employers.
Egypt's new Labour Law, Law No. 14 of 2025, came into force on 1 September 2025, replacing Law No. 12 of 2003. One of its most significant practical changes is the procedure for resignation. The aim is to ensure that a resignation reflects the employee's genuine and current wish to leave, and to end the practice of asking employees to sign undated resignation letters when they are hired.
The new procedure
The law requires a resignation to be approved by the competent administrative authority. Ministerial Decree No. 187 of 2025, effective from 14 September 2025, sets out how this works:
- In writing and signed by the employee personally, or by an agent holding a special power of attorney.
- Approved by a labour relations office at the labour directorate, either the office responsible for the employer's head office or branch, or the labour directorate itself.
- Registered and stamped. The office checks the employee's national ID, gives the resignation a serial number in its register, stamps it, records the date of approval and returns it to the employee.
- Only the employee can submit it. The employer or its representative may not submit a resignation on the employee's behalf.
An unapproved resignation letter, including one signed at the start of employment, does not meet these requirements.
Employer response and acceptance
- The employer must respond to a resignation within 10 days.
- If the employer does not decide within that period, the resignation is deemed accepted by law.
- Until the employer accepts, or the period ends, the employment continues and the employee must keep working.
Withdrawal
The employee may withdraw the resignation within 10 days of being notified of the employer's acceptance, up from 7 days under the old law. The withdrawal must also be in writing and approved by the same labour relations office. Once withdrawn, the resignation is treated as if it had never been submitted.
Notice period
The notice period for ending an indefinite-term employment contract is now three months, regardless of the employee's length of service. Under the old law, notice was two months for employees with under ten years' service and three months for longer service. Employment contracts and internal policies should be updated to reflect the new period.
Absence treated as resignation
Unjustified absence is no longer treated mainly as a disciplinary ground for dismissal. Instead, absence without a valid reason for more than 20 non-consecutive days in a year, or more than 10 consecutive days, is treated as a presumed resignation, subject to the warning requirements in the law. Employers should follow those requirements carefully before relying on this rule.
Other points
- Mutual termination agreements fall outside the resignation procedure, but must confirm that the employee has received all financial entitlements.
- Resignation and mutual termination must be voluntary, without coercion or pressure, and the employer must settle the employee's entitlements.
- Service certificate. On request, the employer must issue a certificate of service within 15 days.
- Specialised labour courts began operating on 1 October 2025 to hear employment disputes.
Practical steps for employers
- Stop relying on resignation letters signed at hiring, and remove them from personnel files.
- Update employment contracts, handbooks and offboarding templates for the new procedure and the three-month notice period.
- Diarise the 10-day response period whenever a resignation is received, so that acceptance or rejection is a deliberate decision.
- Use properly documented mutual termination agreements where both sides agree to end the relationship, confirming the payment of all entitlements.
- Manage absence cases with the warnings the law requires before treating absence as resignation.
- Keep a complete record of each step in case of a later dispute.
How we can help
We advise employers on the transition to the new Labour Law, review employment documentation and handle individual terminations and disputes before the new labour courts. Contact us to review your documents and procedures.
This briefing reflects the position as at November 2026. Further implementing decisions and court practice under the new law continue to develop.
This briefing is for general information only and is not legal advice. For advice on your situation, contact us.