Leave Laws
Last updated on July 31, 2026.
Paid Time Off (PTO) in Ethiopia
Vacation Leave Quota
16 days
Employees in Ethiopia are entitled to 16 working days of vacation leave after one full year of service. Furthermore, they are entitled 16 working days plus one working day of vacation leave for every two additional year of service (e.g., 17 days after 3 years, 18 days after 5 years).
Additional paid vacation leave for employees working under difficult or unhealthy conditions may be established through a collective bargaining agreement.
Employees with less than one year of service accrue annual leave on a pro-rata basis related to their actual period of employment.
Ethiopian law prohibits paying employees cash in place of their annual leave — leave must actually be taken, and any agreement to waive it is considered null and void; the only exception is upon termination of employment, when accrued but unused leave must be paid out.
Carry Over
Up to 2 years
Any unused vacation days can be carried forward to the following year if both the employer and employee agree. Also, the reason for posponement can be operational requirements of the business. This leave may be postponed for maximum of 2 years.
PTO Payout at the Termination
Must be paid out.
An employee is entitled to full pay for any accrued, unused vacation leave upon termination of employment.
Sick Leave in Ethiopia
Up to a maximum of 6 months.
Employees who have completed the probation period are eligible for up to 6 months of sick leave within any 12 months.
Sick leave cannot exceed a maximum cumulative total of six months (consecutively or separately) within any 12-months from the initial date of illness.
Employees must notify their employer of their absence right away or by the following day at the latest.
To qualify for sick leave, they need to present a valid medical certificate.
Employees are protected from dismissal while they are on valid sick leave.
Payout
Sick leave is paid out to employees in the following manner:
– First month: 100% of their regular wages
– Second and third month: 50% of their regular wages
– Months 4 through 6: Unpaid leave.
Maternity and Paternity Leave
Maternity Leave in Ethiopia
120 working days
Female employees are entitled to 120 working days of fully paid maternity leave. This leave is broken down into 30 days of prepartum leave (before childbirth), and 90 days of postpartum leave (after childbirth).
Pregnant employees are entitled to paid time off for prenatal medical checkups, as long as they present a medical certificate afterward.
Employers can’t dismiss a pregnant employee; this protection applies throughout the pregnancy and for 4 months after childbirth.
Payout
Maternity leave is fully paid by the employer. Employees receive 100% of regular wages.
Paternity Leave in Ethiopia
3 days
After becoming a father, an employee is entitled to 3 fully paid working days of paternity leave. Employees in the public sector are entitled to 10 days of paid paternity leave.
Payout
Paternity leave is fully paid by the employer. Employees receive 100% of regular wages.
Bereavement Leave in Ethiopia
3 days
Employees are entitled to 3 days of paid bereavement leave in the unfortunate event of the death of a spouse, child, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, or aunt. This applies to relationships of both blood and marriage, up to the second degree.
Jury Duty Leave in Ethiopia
Ethiopia doesn’t have a jury system; hence, there is no jury duty leave as such. However, employees are entitled to special leave with full pay to exercise their civil rights and duties, which includes appearing before courts or other official bodies (e.g., as a witness) when summoned.
Military Leave in Ethiopia
Military leave is not specified by law. Online data is limited; please check official legal materials or offline sources for more information.
Voting Leave in Ethiopia
An employee is entitled to paid leave to vote.
Marriage Leave in Ethiopia
3 days
An employee is entitled to 3 days of paid leave for their own wedding.
Public Holidays in Ethiopia
Public holidays are paid, and monthly-paid employees won’t see wage reductions for not working on these days. Employees working on public holidays earn double their hourly rate.
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 7 | Ethiopian Orthodox Christmas |
| January 19 | Timket (Epiphany) |
| March 2 | Adwa Victory Day |
| Movable (*) : Shawwal 1 | Eid al-Fitr (The end of Ramadan) |
| May 1 | Labour Day |
| Movable (**): 2 days before Easter Sunday | Siklet (Good Friday) |
| Movable (**) | Ethiopian Easter Sunday |
| May 5 | Patriots’ Victory Day |
| May 28 | Derg Downfall Day |
| Movable (*): Dhu al-Hijjah 10 | Eid al-Adha |
| September 11 | Ethiopian New Year - Enkutatash |
| Movable (*): Rabi’ al-awwal (Sunni) 12 | Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday |
| September 27 | Meskel |
(*) - Dates are movable every year according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
(**) - The date of Easter Friday and Sunday vary each year according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church calendar.
Sources
-
Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/ethiopia
-
Payroll and Benefits Guide Ethiopia, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/ethiopia/
-
Definitive Guide to Hiring in Ethiopia, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/Ethiopia
Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about laws in various countries.
This material is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For current and accurate guidance, please consult legal counsel in your jurisdiction.
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