Labour and employment in Sri Lanka

D. L. & F. De Saram

The practice at D. L. & F. De Saram has a strong reputation for advising on the full remit of complex employment matters for high-profile names such as Mitsubishi Corporation and Tesco Sourcing, in both domestic and international contexts. The team's workload ranges from regulatory and compliance matters and due diligence investigations, handling inquiries before Labour District Offices and the Employees’ Trust Fund Board, and employment-related disputes. Employment and labour specialists Jivan Goonetileke, Manjula Sirimane and Hasanthie Manukulasooriya lead the department. Nadine Puvimanasinghe is a key associate in the group.

Practice head(s):

Jivan Goonetilleke; Manjula Sirimane; Hasanthie Manukulasooriya


Other key lawyers:

Nadine Puvimanasinghe


Testimonials

‘A very proactive, prompt and service-oriented approach – they give practical legal advice and are up-to-date on legal changes.’

‘Jivan and Nadine are noteworthy.’

Key clients

Schneider Electric


Ericsson


Associated British Food Group (A B Mauri Lanka (Private) Limited)


Allianz Group


ICICI Bank


HCL Technologies Limited


Siam City Cement (Lanka) Limited


Nestle Lanka PLC


ZTE Corporation


HSBC HDPL


Tesco Sourcing


Courtaulds


London Stock Exchange Group


Ineight


Wiley Global Technology (Private) Limited


Fresenius Medical Care Asia-Pacific Limited


Virtusa (Private) Limited


Mines Advisory Group


International Research & Exchange Board (IREX)


Nokia Solutions and Networks Ltd


Dewhirst Group


Dell


CavinKare


Accenture


Toll Global


Plan International


Pernod Ricard Lanka (Private) Limited


The Coca-Cola Company


Zebra Technologies Asia Pacific Pte Ltd


Ceylon Oxygen Ltd


Servier International Group


Prima Group of Companies


Mitsubishi Corporation


Royal Norwegian Embassy


Acumatica


Emapta


Velocity Global LLC


Sun Finance


Nike


Chakray


Peace Corps


Work highlights


  • Advised Mitsubishi Corporation on the laws relating to the terminations and redundancies of employees and formulation of severance packages.
  • Advising Tesco Sourcing on the development of a dual engagement structure of existing Tesco staff resources in Sri Lanka where its operations are to be restructured.
  • Providing strategic advice to DHL Global Forwarding (Private) Ltd in effecting severance of employees attached to the company.

Tiruchelvam Associates

Tiruchelvam Associates‘ practice is jointly led by Ramani Muttettuwegama and senior associate Michael Paiva, who brings his expertise in visas and immigration matters to bear in the context of employment law. The team is well versed in advising on the scope of employment-related issues, such as compliance, drafting of employment agreements and registrations, and remote working. The client base includes hospitality, pharmaceutical, corporate and not-for-profit entities, of which the latter is a particular area of focus for the team. Regulatory specialist associate Ovini Nanayakkara joined the team in March 2023.

Practice head(s):

Ramani Muttettuwegama; Michael Paiva


Other key lawyers:

Ovini Nanayakkara


Testimonials

‘The team is very well-versed on labour and employment regulations in Sri Lanka and delivers exceptional legal research work.’

‘People are the strength of this team – they have different expertise to call upon when necessary.’

‘They ensure they deliver the given deliverables in the best possible way.’

‘Expertise and the collaborative way of working are the standouts of the team.’

‘The involvement with the issue and personalised service provided are appreciated by clients.’

Key clients

Hoist Support S L (Private) Limited


Eutech Cybernetic Lanka (Pvt) Ltd,


Himal South Asian


Women’s Fund Asia


Microchannel (Private) Limited


PWC Sri Lanka


Deloitte Sri Lanka


Fragomen Worldwide


Novo Nordisk Lanka (Private) Limited


Envoy Ortis


V I C M Consultants (Pvt) Ltd


Applexus Technologies (Pvt) Ltd


Work highlights


  • Assisted Deloitte with preparing a compliance checklist as part of a larger project.
  • Provided a detailed legal opinion on engaging Sri Lankans on a remote working arrangement.
  • Advising clients via a global network partner on all aspects of the immigration landscape in Sri Lanka.

F. J. & G. De Saram

F. J. & G. De Saram‘s labour and employment practice is well known for advising on complex matters. Experienced practitioner Shehara Varia is at the helm of the department, which is equipped to handle both regulatory and litigious work,  involving such issues as alleged unfair dismissals and redundancies. Shevanthi Perera specialises in corporate-related employment matters, including assisting businesses with the employment aspects of their establishment, setting up and operations. Counsel Rozali Fernando is noteworthy for her expertise in contentious cases, which often reach the labour tribunal.

Practice head(s):

Shehara Varia


Other key lawyers:

Shevanthi Perera; Rozali Fernando


Sudath Perera Associates

Sudath Perera Associates‘ labour and employment workload includes a range of complex cases, from sensitive matters of alleged sexual harassment in the workplace and serious breaches of contract and misconduct, to cases involving alleged unfair severance and accidents in the workplace. The team frequently handles cross-jurisdictional mandates for clients in the entertainment, manufacturing and financial sectors, among others. Sudath Perera, senior counsel Manoj Bandara and Thidas Herath head the practice.

Practice head(s):

Sudath Perera; Manoj Bandara; Thidas Herath


Testimonials

‘Responsive, on time and have the same sense of urgency as clients do.’

‘Thidas is hugely knowledgeable and a great asset when doing business in Sri Lanka.’

‘Very thorough and competent professionals who always had our company’s best interests in mind.’

‘Thidas is a solid lawyer.’

‘Sudath has always been helpful and responsive to needs.’

‘The firm was able to handle cases without much intervention from the client, offering various solutions to suit their needs.’

‘Quick to respond, they offer tailored services and advice based on the situation at hand.’

Key clients

Fonterra Brands Lanka (Pvt) Ltd


Toyota Lanka (Pvt) Ltd


Reckitt Benckiser Lanka Ltd


Maga Engineering (Pvt) Ltd


German Development Corporation (GIZ)


Coats Thread Exports (Pvt) Ltd


Ceylon Tobacco Corporation PLC


The Colombo Plan Secretariat


GLC (Global Leading Conferences) Private Limited


Asia Broadcasting Corporation (Pvt) Ltd


Alliance Media Company (Pvt) Ltd