Morocco Leave Laws & Holidays

Last updated on August 6, 2026.

Paid Time Off (PTO) in Morocco

Vacation (Annual Leave) Quota

18 days

Employees in Morocco are entitled to paid vacation, which accrues at the rate of:

• 1.5 days of leave for each month of work.

This means that most regular employees are entitled to 18 days of vacation leave.

Accrual Rate

When calculating number of vacation days, the following rules apply:

• Each month of work is equivalent to 26 actual working days.
• Each continuous or non-continuous period of 191 hours worked is considered equal to one month’s work.

An employee begins to accrue vacation days after 6 months of work in a company.

Seniority

The duration of vacation increases by 1.5 days every five years of the employee’s service until it reaches a maximum of 30 days.

Exceptions

1. Workers under 18 years old are allowed 2 days of vacation for each month of work. This means that employees under 18 may receive 24 vacation days per year.
2. Employees who work part-time are not eligible for vacation leave.

Carry Over

Employees may carry forward their unused vacation days but must take them during the following year. This is allowed only with mutual agreement between the employer and the employee.

Payment of Annual Leave

Leave must be disbursed at the worker’s standard salary rate and paid out at least 30 days before the start of the leave.

PTO Payout at the Termination

Upon termination of a worker’s employment, an employer is required to provide compensatory pay for all unused vacation days.

Sick Leave in Morocco

Up to 52 weeks. First 3 days are unpaid, the following days are paid at 66% of salary.

Employees working in Morocco may be entitled to up to 52 weeks of partially paid sick leave. They may begin their paid sick days after 3 initial days which are unpaid (this is a mandatory waiting period for each sick leave).

Employees unable to perform their duties due to an accident or illness must notify their manager in the first 48 hours. If sick leave is longer than 4 days, an employee must inform their manager of the expected duration of absence and submit a medical certificate.

If an employee has been on sick leave for more than 180 successive days within a year, an employer may terminate their employment permanently.

Payout of Sick Leave

Sick leave in Morocco is paid by the social security system, from the National Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale - CNSS).

Two different rates apply for eligible employees:

• Days 1, 2, and 3 are unpaid.

• Day 4 and all the following days are paid 66% of regular salary(capped at MAD 6,000/month)

Eligibility for Paid Sick Days

To be eligible for paid sick leave, an employee must make contributions to the National Social Security Fund for at least 54 days in the six months before leave.

Maternity and Paternity Leave

Maternity Leave in Morocco

14 weeks

Employees working in Morocco who become pregnant are eligible for 14 weeks of maternity leave, which is fully paid. An employer must let an employee take at least 7 weeks before the expected date of birth (prenatal) and 7 weeks after childbirth (postpartum). A pregnant employee on maternity leave must provide her supervisor with a valid medical certificate of pregnancy status.

After completing the 14 weeks of regular maternity leave, employees can take up to an extra 90 days of leave. Employees might also be eligible for up to 1 year of unpaid maternity leave in order to provide care and spend time with their children.

If a medical condition or complication related to pregnancy (confirmed by a doctor) requires an extended leave, maternity leave can be extended. This extension can’t be longer than 8 weeks before the due date and 14 weeks after the childbirth.

Pregnant employees or those who are on maternity leave who wish to officially resign from work may do it without giving the standard notice period. However, they must notify their employer at least 15 days prior to the date when their maternity leave ends.

Payout

Maternity leave is paid by the Social Security Fund (Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale, CNSS).

Employees receive regular salaries during this period (100%); although this payment is capped by the government, at this point it is MAD 6,000/month. Employers don’t pay anything unless they want to top up above the cap.

An optional additional year of maternity leave is unpaid.

To qualify for maternity leave, an employee must have completed at least 54 days of social security contributions within the preceding 10 months.

Paternity Leave in Morocco

3 days

An employee in Morocco who becomes a father is entitled to 3 days of fully paid paternity leave, which can be taken consecutively or in parts, as agreed upon by both parties (the employer and the employee). The leave must be used within one month of the child’s birth. If the birth occurs during an employee’s absence from work, such as vacation, sick leave, or due to an accident, etc., the paternity leave is prolonged by an additional three days.

Payout

An employee receives a full salary (100% of their average wage) during paternity leave. The employer pays the regular salary to an employee but can request a refund from the Caisse Nationale de Sécurité Sociale (CNSS).

Bereavement Leave in Morocco

2 or 3 days

Employees are entitled to bereavement leave as follows:

• Up to 3 days of leave (but only one day is paid) for the death of a parent, spouse, child, stepchild, or grandchild.

• Up to 2 days of leave for the death of a brother/sister; also parent or brother/sister of their spouse.

Jury Duty Leave in Morocco

Jury duty leave is not specified by Morocco leave laws. Morocco has no jury system.

Military Leave in Morocco

Unpaid leave.

Morocco has compulsory military service for men aged 19–25 lasting 12 months. An employer must allow leave for employees called up for military service, with their employment contracts temporarily suspended but not terminated. This leave is job-protected, and seniority and acquired rights are retained, but the employer doesn’t owe salary during service (the military pays conscripts an allowance). Employees are entitled to return to their previous jobs or similar ones upon completion.

Voting Leave in Morocco

Voting leave is not specified by law - polls stay open 11–12 hours on election day.

Special Leave in Morocco

Besides previously mentioned bereavement leave, employees in Morocco are entitled to other types of family leave:

• 4 days of leave for an employee who gets married (2 paid + 2 unpaid)
• 2 days of unpaid leave for the wedding of the employee’s child or stepchild
• 2 days of unpaid leave for the circumcision of the employee’s child
• 2 days of paid leave in cases where a dependent child or spouse is undergoing surgery

Public Holidays in Morocco

(*) - Muslim religious public holidays are established by the lunar calendar. These dates vary and are declared during the year, close to the date of the specific holiday.

An employer can demand employees to work on a day that is a public holiday, but they must be paid a double rate (200%).

Additional Provisions

Unlike rules in other African countries, for example, leave laws in Mauritius, a legal holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday remains observed on that specific day. Therefore, they are considered lost, and an employee will not receive an additional day afterwards (not shifted to the next working day or a different date). If a public holiday happens during a rest day, the employee must receive compensation equivalent to their regular daily wage.

Sources

1. NATLEX - Database of national labor, social security, and related human rights legislation, https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/r/natlex/fe/home

2. Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/morocco

3. Payroll and Benefits Guide Morocco, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/morocco/

4. Definitive Guide to Hiring in Morocco, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/morocco

Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about laws in various countries.