Industrial Court of Uganda

The Industrial Court was established under the Labour Disputes (Arbitration and Settlement) Act, 2006 Cap 224, Laws of Uganda, and section 7.  2006.

The Act was assentenced to on 24th May 2006; and commenced on the 07th August 2006 via a Ministerial statutory instrument.

The Court's jurisdiction ambit are labour disputes referred to it by a party to a dispute where a labour officer has failed to dispose of the dispute within 08 weeks under the court's regulations as requested under the act, disputes referred by the Labour officer at the request of the party or on the officer's own volition when is unable to resolve the dispute; or by responsible Minister on notice of an intended withdrawal of labour within 05 days. Appeals can also be filed against labour officers' decision under the Employment Act. The Court has no original jurisdiction over Labour disputes.

 

Physical address
Plot 25-27, off Martyr's way Ntinda. P.O.Box, 21456 Kampala.
10 judgments
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10 judgments
Citation
Judgment date
June 2025
An applicant was granted leave to amend pleadings to clarify continuous employment claims, with limitation objections deferred to trial.
Civil procedure – amendment of pleadings – labour law – continuous employment – limitation of actions – whether amendment introduces new cause of action – Employment Act – computation of continuous service – prejudice to respondent – abuse of process.
30 June 2025
An application to set aside an ex parte order was dismissed due to invalid supporting affidavits and lack of proper authority.
Civil procedure – affidavits – competence of deponent – locus standi – employment law – legal capacity of employer – ex parte orders – setting aside orders – right to fair hearing – defective applications – representation by counsel.
18 June 2025
Unlawful termination was deemed unfair despite payment in lieu of notice; damages awarded for breach of contract.
Employment law – Termination – Unlawful and Unfair Termination – Payment in Lieu of Notice – General Damages
16 June 2025
Court deemed the Claimant a casual employee, dismissing unpaid wage claims due to lack of formal termination proof.
Employment law – Casual employment vs salaried employment – Proof of termination – Casual employee rights and claims.
16 June 2025
A Labour Officer’s written statement can substitute missing pay statements to prove and recover employees’ unpaid wages.
Employment law – unpaid wages; proof of salary – role of employment contract and pay statements; Labour Officer powers – Section 49(5) EA (Labour Officer’s written statement substituting employer pay statement); ex parte proceedings – unchallenged evidence deemed credible; remedies – award of salary arrears, general damages and costs.
16 June 2025
The court found the Respondent liable for breaching the employment contract by not paying owed statutory benefits timely.
Employment law – breach of employment contract – statutory benefits payment delay – calculation of statutory entitlements – retrospective application of amended regulations.
13 June 2025
Industrial Court dismissed amendment application; new claims not referred by Labour officer cannot be added.
Labour Law – amendments to pleadings – introduction of new cause of action – misdescription of respondent – jurisdiction of Industrial Court.
13 June 2025
Wrong‑party defence limited in employment disputes; claimant awarded unpaid wages, general damages and costs.
* Employment law – unpaid wages – entitlement to salary arrears – burden and standard of proof (balance of probabilities). * Employment law – identity of employer – change of name and limited utility of corporate separateness in labour disputes. * Procedure – ex parte proceedings – unchallenged evidence deemed credible and probative. * Remedies – award of unpaid wages, general damages for non‑pecuniary loss, and costs.
12 June 2025
Interdiction under public service orders was misapplied and termination without a disciplinary hearing was unlawful.
Labour law – interdiction vs suspension – applicability of employer HRM vis-à-vis Public Service Standing Orders; disciplinary investigations do not substitute for statutory/contractual disciplinary hearings; procedural and substantive fairness in summary dismissal; remedies for unlawful termination (payment in lieu of notice, severance, general and aggravated damages, interest).
11 June 2025
A university was held liable as a disguised employer for unpaid part-time lecturers engaged without formal contracts.
Labour law – Employment relationship – Disguised employer-employee relationship – Contract of service – Part-time lecturer – University governance – Memorandum of Understanding – Salary arrears – Determining putative employer through conduct – Remedies for work done without formal contract.
1 June 2025