Table Of Contents
Last updated on April 18, 2024.
Paid Time Off (PTO) in Ghana
Vacation Leave Quota
15 days
Employees in Ghana are entitled to at least 15 fully paid working days of annual leave in any calendar year of continuous service. A newly hired employee qualifies for vacation days after completing 12 months of service.
What does not affect the annual leave?
The following leave days do not impact an employee’s entitlement to vacation leave:
- Public holidays
- Medically certified sick leave
- Pregnancy and childbirth
- An employee’s involvement in voluntary community service
- The fulfillment of civic responsibilities
- Granting special leave
Taking a vacation
Employees are entitled to divide their vacation days into 2 approximately equal parts.
All employees have the right to an uninterrupted period of vacation leave. However, in instances of urgent need, an employer may ask an employee to interrupt their vacation and come back to work. In that case, the employee keeps the right to the remaining vacation days and can take them at any time.
Carry Over
Allowed under certain circumstances.
If an employee begins their vacation near the end of a calendar year, it can extend into the next year.
Payment of Unused Vacation on Termination
Employer must pay.
When employment ends, an employee is entitled to prorated vacation days based on the length of service within the given calendar year. Additionally, the employee will retain all other entitlements and awards, including any compensation, in lieu of notice of termination.
Sick Leave in Ghana
No sick leave is required by law.
Ghana leave laws do not require sick leave. The Labor Act does not specifically address sick leave, so it generally varies according to the company’s policy.
Sick or medical leave is not included in an employee’s vacation leave calculation.
Still, workers who provide a medical certificate are allowed to take sick leave without deducting days from their PTO.
Maternity and Paternity Leave
Maternity Leave in Ghana
12 weeks
Pregnant female employees in Ghana are entitled to 12 weeks of fully paid maternity leave.
This leave may be extended by an additional two weeks (up to 14 weeks) in the event of:
- complications during pregnancy
- multiple births (two or more babies).
To qualify for maternity leave, an employee must provide a medical certificate from an official medical practitioner or midwife indicating her expected delivery date.
If a female employee’s medically certified illness is related to her childbirth, as determined by a medical practitioner, she is entitled to an extension of her maternity leave as prescribed by that medical practitioner.
After coming back from maternity leave, a female employee is entitled to 1 hour of leave during the workday to nurse her child until the child is 1 year old.
A female employee on maternity leave is entitled to receive her full salary and any other benefits she would normally be eligible for.
Payout
The employer pays an employee during her maternity leave. The salary of an employee is 100% of the regular earnings.
Paternity Leave in Ghana
No paternity leave required by law.
Ghana leave laws do not recognize paternity leave.
Parental Leave in Ghana
No parental leave is required by Ghana’s labor law.
Ghana leave laws do not recognize parental leave.
Bereavement Leave in Ghana
Required by law.
An employee is entitled to paid bereavement leave in the event of the death of a close family member.
Jury Duty Leave in Ghana
Jury duty leave is not specified by law.
Military Leave in Ghana
Military leave is not specified by law.
Voting Leave in Ghana
Voting leave is not specified by law.
Public Holidays in Ghana for 2024
A complete list of official holidays celebrated in Ghana:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year |
| January 7 & 8 | Constitution Days |
| March 6 | Independence Day |
| March 29 | Good Friday |
| April 1 | Easter Monday |
| April 10 | Eid al-Fitr |
| 1 May | Spring Day |
| May 25 | Africa Unity Day |
| Jun 16 | Eid al-Adha |
| July 1 | Republic Day |
| August 4 | Founders’ Day |
| August 5 | Founders’ Day Holiday |
| September 21 | Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day |
| September 23 | Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day Holiday |
| December 6 | Farmers’ Day |
| December 25 | Christmas |
| December 26 | Boxing Day |
Sources
- Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/ghana
- Payroll and Benefits Guide Ghana, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/ghana
- Definitive Guide to Hiring in Ghana, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/Ghana
- Ghana’s Labour Act, 2003, https://www.ilo.org/static/english/inwork/cb-policy-guide/ghanalabouract2003section109.pdf
Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about the laws in various countries.
All materials have been prepared for general information purposes only to permit you to learn more about this region's leave laws. The information presented is not legal advice, is not to be acted on as such, and may not be current. Please contact your local legal counsel to learn more about the leave laws in your country.
