Employment laws around the world you won't believe are real -

Who said employment law is boring?  Employment and labor laws and regulations can indeed be complex, and sometimes just plain weird. Did you know, for instance, that employers in Japan measure the waistlines of their employees? Or that paid vacations are not actually provided for in US federal law?

In this gallery, we've compiled some of the strangest employment laws from around the world. Click through to discover them all!

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Japanese workers must watch their waistline -

Introduced in the country in 2008, the so-called Metabo law requires employers to measure the waistlines of employees aged between 40 and 74.

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Japanese workers must watch their waistline -

The limits established by the government are 33.5 inches (85 cm) for men and 35.4 inches (90 cm) for women.

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Japanese workers must watch their waistline -

Employees who exceed the measurements have three months to reduce their waistline. If they fail to do so, they may be required to attend dieting classes.

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New Zealand workers are not allowed to wear a “funny" hat to work -

Wearing a “funny” or “inappropriate” hat to work in New Zealand can be interpreted as breaking uniform code.

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New Zealand workers are not allowed to wear a “funny" hat to work -

So, what can happen to employees who dare to do so? They risk a 10% deduction in their pay.

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Men are not allowed to work in lingerie shops in Saudi Arabia -

You won’t find men selling lingerie in this Arab nation. Nor will you find them selling cosmetics.

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Men are not allowed to work in lingerie shops in Saudi Arabia -

Saudi Arabia only allows women to work in these stores because female clients have expressed their discomfort in buying such items from men.

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Florida employees can carry a gun to work -

There is no provision in the law that forbids an employee from carrying a firearm, either openly or concealed, to work.

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One Japanese municipality doesn’t allow beards -

In 2010, the municipality of Isesaki in Japan banned its employees from having any form of facial hair.

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One Japanese municipality doesn’t allow beards -

According to the local government, the measure was taken because “some citizens find bearded men unpleasant, so beards are banned."

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Dutch and Belgian employees have a commuting allowance if they cycle to work -

Employees who cycle to work can claim a tax-free commuting mileage allowance (calculated per kilometer).

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In Portugal, it’s illegal for employers to contact workers outside of working hours -

In Portugal, employees don’t have to worry about their bosses calling or texting them after working hours. This has been illegal since 2021.

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German bosses also can't contact employees outside of working hours -

Employees in this European nation also have their private time free from work interruptions, unless there are “exceptional circumstances,” aka an emergency.

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French workers don’t have to worry about receiving a work-related email after 6 pm -

French employees don’t have to stress about that last-minute email request from their bosses. Work-related emails after 6 pm have been banned in France.

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American employers don’t have to provide workers with vacation time, paid sick leave, or even lunch breaks -

Technically, US employers don’t have to provide any of this to their workers. These are usually 'perks' employers include in contracts, but are not a legal requirement.

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American employers don’t have to provide workers with vacation time, paid sick leave, or even lunch breaks -

“The US does not have any mandated paid time off and that’s very different from the rest of the world,” stresses Julie Stich, ‎research director at the International Foundation of Employee Benefit.

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Chinese women are not allowed to perform “physically demanding” jobs -

In China, women are not allowed to perform tasks that involve carrying anything weighing 44 pounds (20 kg) or more.

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Chinese women are not allowed to perform “physically demanding” jobs -

Jobs that are deemed “physically demanding” by the government include mining, logging timber, and high-altitude work.

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In some countries, workers are paid a thirteenth or fourteenth salary annually -

Some countries pay employees a thirteenth or fourteenth salary annually. The payment is usually done in two or three installments. This payment is mandatory in some countries and customary (i.e. common practice) in others.

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In some countries, workers are paid a thirteenth or fourteenth salary annually -

Most countries in Latin America receive this extra salary, as well as many European nations (though only Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Armenia do so mandatorily).

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Workers may not be allowed to take toilet breaks as they wish in the US -

American employees may not be allowed to go to the bathroom at their own discretion. At least not legally. Although there are laws about workers' rights to use the toilet, most are not clear.

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Workers may not be allowed to take toilet breaks as they wish in the US -

It was not until 1998 that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) passed a law granting the right to use a bathroom, if it was reasonable to do so at a given time. What “reasonable” actually means has been the subject of debate.

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Women in Madagascar are forbidden from working at night -

Women in Madagascar are only allowed to work during daytime. They are forbidden from working at night in any “industrial establishment.”

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Women in Madagascar are forbidden from working at night -

There is one exception to this law, which allows women to work at night in “family establishments.”

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Indian companies with over 100 employees need government permission to fire employees -

This law dates all the way back to the time when India was under British rule.

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Indian companies with over 100 employees need government permission to fire employees -

Any layoff or closure must be previously approved by the government. The exception, however, is if the employee is found guilty of criminal misconduct. In which case, the company can fire the employee.

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Smokers cannot be discriminated against in Kentucky -

In the state of Kentucky, an employer is not allowed to refuse to hire, discharge, or discriminate in any way based on an employee's smoking habits.

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Smokers cannot be discriminated against in Kentucky -

Kentucky’s anti-discrimination statute does, however, allow for differences in employee health plan contribution rates, depending on whether or not the person is a smoker.

See also: Weird US laws still on the books

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