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Leave

The seven statutory categories under the Employment and Labour Relations Act, 2025, at their new entitlements. Every figure is a floor — being more generous is lawful, being less is not.

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Leave is modelled as an append-only ledger, so a balance is always the sum of its entries and can be explained rather than asserted. No opening balances have been imported, so no per-person balance is shown — an empty balance is not the same as a zero balance, and this page will not imply otherwise.

Statutory entitlements

Each citing the section of the Act it comes from.

Leave typeSectionEntitlementPay
Annual leaves.219
≥1.25 days per month (≈15 days/year)
At least 8 of 15 days must be taken within 6 months after the leave year. Up to 7 days may carry over, capped at 3 years. After two failed scheduling attempts a 35% cash payment becomes mandatory. Breach is an unfair labour practice.
Full
Sick leaves.220
≥20 paid days per year
Medical certificate required, and mandatory for any absence of 24 hours or more. Hospitalisation is paid per day up to 20 days a year.
Full
Family responsibility leaves.221
3 paid days per cycle
After 4 months' service, working 4 or more days a week. For the death or serious illness of a close family member.
Full
Maternity leaves.222
≥14 weeks at ≥70% of pay
Six weeks' notice plus a certificate. No forced return before 8 weeks post-birth.
70%
Paternity leaves.227
≥5 days per cycle
Taken within the mother's 14-week period. Proof of paternity may be required.
Full
Adoption leaves.226
≥10 weeks
Child under 2 years. A choice between the two adoptive parents. One month's notice.
Full
Nursing breakss.229
2 × 30 minutes per day, for 6 months after return
May be combined into one continuous hour by agreement. Paid as ordinary time.
Full

Data as at 1 September 2026 · source: Employment and Labour Relations Act, 2025 (Act No. 27 of 2025)

Entitlements are transcribed from a compliance memo, not from the Act itself. Verify against the Act and S.I. 129 of 2026 before relying on them.