Twenty-eight consecutive days — including public holidays

Tanzania's leave provisions under the Employment and Labour Relations Act are generous in headline terms, with one qualification worth knowing.

Annual leave

Under Section 31(1), an employer shall grant an employee at least 28 consecutive days' leave in respect of each leave cycle.

That leave is inclusive of any public holiday falling within the period.

So a leave period containing two public holidays still counts as 28 days — the holidays do not extend it.

The qualifying period

Entitlement arises after completing 12 months of employment.

Employees needing more time off beyond the 28 days can take unpaid leave.

Weekly rest

Employees are entitled to one day of rest per week, usually on Sunday.

Sick leave

126 days per leave cycle, on production of a medical certificate.

• Full pay for the first 63 days
• Half pay for the remaining days

That is a substantial entitlement by regional standards.

Maternity leave

Employees receive full wages during maternity leave.

Paternity leave

Three days per leave cycle, the cycle being 36 months.

Note the cycle length — it is not annual.

Public holidays

Alongside the fixed calendar, several Muslim festival holidays are based on the sighting of the moon, so their dates shift year to year.

Leave pay at termination

Section 44 requires payment of:

• Annual leave pay due for leave not taken
• Annual leave pay accrued during an incomplete leave cycle

Both, not just the first.

Keep your own record

Note the days you take and any refused, along with your leave cycle dates. That record is what supports a claim if the payout is disputed.

Where to raise a problem

The Commission for Mediation and Arbitration.