Tanzania has a structured dispute framework, with mediation as the standard first step.
Where to go
The Commission for Mediation and Arbitration
The Labour Division of the High Court
The burden of proof
Worth repeating because it shapes everything: termination is unfair if the employer fails to prove the reason was valid and related to conduct, capacity, compatibility or operational requirements.
You are not required to prove it was unfair. They must prove it was fair.
The Code of Good Practice
An employer, arbitrator or the Labour Division takes any Code of Good Practice into account in deciding whether a termination was fair.
Rule 9(1) requires a fair procedure. Rule 24(1) requires agreed selection criteria in retrenchment.
Common grounds
Termination without a written notice
Retrenchment without consultation on alternatives
Selection criteria imposed rather than agreed
Severance calculated on the wrong basic wage or divisor
Transport allowance omitted
Leave pay from an incomplete cycle not included
Certificate of service not issued
NSSF deducted but not remitted
Discrimination under Section 7(4)
What to gather
Your contract, written or evidence of an oral one
Payslips showing basic wage
Evidence of your start date — one year qualifies, ten years caps
The termination notice and its stated reason
Records of any consultation in a retrenchment
Your NSSF statement
The settlement calculation provided
Where an agreement was reached
A retrenchment agreement is binding as a collective agreement under Section 71(3)(c). If the employer departed from it, that is enforceable.
Section 37
Sets out the grounds, procedures and remedies for unfair termination, and its provisions must be observed by both parties.
Act promptly
Records are easier to assemble close to the event, and procedural objections carry more weight raised while a process is still live.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I take an employment dispute?
The Commission for Mediation and Arbitration first, then the Labour Division of the High Court.
Who has to prove the termination was fair?
The employer. Termination is unfair if they fail to prove the reason was valid and related to conduct, capacity, compatibility or operational requirements.
What are common grounds for a claim?
No written notice, no consultation, imposed selection criteria, wrong severance basis, omitted transport allowance, missing incomplete-cycle leave pay, or no certificate of service.
What should I gather?
Your contract or evidence of an oral one, payslips showing basic wage, start date evidence, the termination notice, consultation records, NSSF statement and the settlement calculation.
Is a retrenchment agreement enforceable?
Yes. It is binding on the parties as a collective agreement under Section 71(3)(c), so departure from it is enforceable.