How to Hire an Employee in Uzbekistan: Employment Contract, Unified National Labor System (ENST) and Probation Period

Hiring an employee involves more than just signing an employment contract. The employer needs to verify the employee’s documents, agree on the terms of employment, formalize the hire, and register the employment relationship in the Unified National Labor System (ENST). Here’s a step-by-step overview of the process.

1. Collect the Required Documents

When hiring an employee, the employer should obtain an identity document, PINFL, and employment history documents. Depending on the position, documents confirming education, qualifications, or special training may also be required. Military registration documents are required for persons subject to military service or conscription.

Employers may not request documents that are not required by the Labor Code or other applicable legislation.

2. Agree on the Terms of Employment

Before signing the contract, it is important to agree not only on the position and salary. The employment contract should specify the place of work, job duties, start date, pay terms, working hours and rest periods, as well as other mandatory terms.

Before entering into the contract, the employer must familiarize the employee with their job duties, working conditions, internal work rules, and other internal policies directly related to their work.

3. Sign the Employment Contract

An employment contract must be concluded in writing, either on paper or electronically.

A paper contract must be prepared in at least two copies of equal legal validity and signed by both the employee and the employer.

An electronic employment contract can be concluded through the ENST in accordance with the procedure established by law.

4. Register the Contract in the ENST

The conclusion, amendment, and termination of an employment contract must be registered in the Unified National Labor System.

If the contract is signed on paper, information about it must be entered into the ENST within five working days from the date of conclusion.

Based on the registered information, the employee’s electronic employment record is generated.

5. Issue the Employment Order

After the employment contract is signed, the employer issues an order confirming the employee’s appointment.

The terms of the order must match the employment contract. The employee must be presented with the order for signature within three days of actually starting work.

Allowing an employee to start work without proper documentation does not relieve the employer of the obligation to formalize the employment relationship.

6. If You Use a Probationary Period, Specify It in Advance

A probationary period does not apply automatically. The employment contract must expressly include a probationary period. If it does not, the employee is considered to have been hired without probation.

For most employees, the probationary period may not exceed three months. For company directors, deputy directors, chief accountants, and heads of separate divisions, the maximum period is six months.

For certain categories of employees, the law does not allow a probationary period to be established.

Common Issues Employers Overlook

In practice, problems can arise not only from failing to have an employment contract. Risks may also occur when actual working conditions differ from those stated in the contract, changes are not properly documented, information is not entered into the ENST, or documents are based on outdated templates that no longer meet current requirements.

That is why HR documentation should be treated as a complete system: employment contracts, orders, internal policies, and information recorded in the ENST should all be consistent with each other and with the employee’s actual working conditions.

What to Check After Hiring an Employee

Make sure the employment contract has been signed by both parties, the employment order has been issued, the relevant information has been registered in the ENST, and the employee has been familiarized with the necessary internal policies and documents.

If the employee’s position, pay terms, or other employment conditions change, these changes must also be properly documented and, where required by law, registered in the ENST.

Proper HR documentation is especially important for fast-growing companies that regularly hire new employees. The larger the team, the harder it becomes to manage deadlines, documents, and changes manually. In such cases, HR administration can be outsourced while the company retains control over key decisions.

If you prefer not to prepare HR documents in-house, you can outsource this work to specialists. Central Asia Consulting helps businesses prepare HR documentation tailored to their operations and current legal requirements.

We can draft and update employment contracts, job descriptions, internal policies, and other HR documents required for your business.