Last updated on October 4, 2024.

Paid Time Off (PTO) in Tunisia

Vacation (Annual Leave) Quota

At least 12 days.

Employees in Tunisia are entitled to 1 day of vacation leave per working month, up to a maximum of 15 days, with 12 of those being working days. This applies to all regular employees with a five-day workweek who complete at least 1 month of work in a given year. The Labor Code guarantees this right. In addition to vacation leave, employees also receive at least six paid public holidays.

Nevertheless, some collective bargaining agreements and employers with flexible PTO policies provide their employees with 30 days of vacation.

Vacation Days According to Seniority

The number of days of vacation leave increases with the length of employment. Employees earn an additional day of vacation for every 5 years in the same company, up to a maximum of 18 days.

Young Workers

For workers under 18, vacation is limited to 30 calendar days (which is 24 working days), accrued by 2 working days per working month. For employees aged 18 to 21, vacation is capped at 21 calendar days (which is 18 working days), accrued monthly by 1.5 working days.

Carry Over

Vacation days should be taken between June 1 and October 31 or at another time agreed upon through an individual employment contract, a collective agreement, or set by the employer. Tunisian leave laws permit dividing vacation days, but a minimum of 6 working days must be taken at once.

PTO Payout at Termination

When the employment contract ends and an employee still has unused days of vacation leave, they are entitled to payment for these days. This is not applied in cases where the contract was terminated due to the employee’s gross negligence.

Sick Leave in Tunisia

Unspecified number of sick days

Tunisia leave laws do not state a specific number of paid sick days. Instead, absence due to sickness temporarily suspends the employment contract. Termination due to illness is only justified if the sickness is severe or extended enough that the employer must substitute the employee to meet the company’s requirements.

An employee who becomes sick must notify their manager within 48 hours of the beginning of sickness or injury. A medical certificate must be provided as well.

Payout

Sick leave is paid by the social insurance fund (the Caisse Nationale de l’Assurance Maladie (CNAM).

State social insurance covers sick payments yearly for up to 180 days, after a waiting period of 5 days. Employees receive 2/3 (67%) of their average salary for the initial three years and 50% of their salary for up to 180 days each following year. These payments are made every two weeks.

Benefits due to an Occupational Injury

An employee who is injured or becomes sick because of an occupational accident or disease, they are entitled to special rights and benefits. For temporary or total disability, the employee must receive at least 50% of their regular salary. In the unfortunate event of a deadly injury, the family members are eligible to receive 40% of the departed employee’s salary in periodical pay.

Maternity and Paternity Leave

Maternity Leave in Tunisia

30 days of paid maternity leave (=> Changes in 2024)

Pregnant employees in Tunisia are entitled to at least 30 days of partially paid maternity leave. While on maternity leave, employees are guarded from discharge or other types of discriminatory or legal actions against them. A medical certificate must be provided for justified maternity leave.

In the public sector, employees receive 60 days (public sector) of paid maternity leave.

Payout 

The employee receives a payment of 334 Tunisian dinars from the Caisse Nationale de l’Assurance Maladie (CNAM) each month while on maternity leave. The employer is responsible for topping up the benefit so that the worker receives their full regular salary. This payment includes 30 days of maternity leave, with the option to extend it two times by 15 days.

Update for 2024!

The new maternity and paternity leave law in Tunisia was passed on July 31, 2024.

The law came into effect on August 13, 2024, which coincides with Tunisian Women’s Day.

Under the new law, maternity leave will be extended to 3 months with full pay, with an additional month in special cases such as multiple births or if the newborn has disabilities.

Paternity Leave in Tunisia

1 day of paid leave. (=>Changes in 2024)

Employees in the private sector receive 1 day of paid paternity leave. This leave should be taken in the first 7 days after the birth of a child.

Employees in the public sector are entitled to 2 days of paid paternity leave.

Payout

The employer pays for paternity leave as a regular employee’s wages.

Update for 2024!

Under the new law, paternity leave in Tunisia will be extended to 7 days with full pay. In special cases, such as the birth of twins, a child with disabilities, or a premature baby, paternity leave can be extended to 10 days.

Bereavement Leave in Tunisia

2 to 4 days

Employees in Tunisia are entitled to bereavement leave, and the number of days that they are entitled to depends on the family relation to the deceased member of the family:

• 4 consecutive days of leave are provided for the death of an immediate family member, such as a father, mother, sibling, spouse, child, grandparent, grandchild, or uncle.
• 2 days of leave are provided for the death of a relative, including an aunt, uncle, or one of their family members.
• 2 days of leave are also provided for the death of a member of the spouse’s family, such as a father, mother, sibling, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, or nieces and nephews.

Jury Duty Leave in Tunisia

Jury duty leave is not specified by Tunisia leave law.

Military Leave in Tunisia

Military leave is not specified by law.

Voting Leave in Tunisia

Voting leave is not specified by law.

Public Holidays in Tunisia for 2024

12 public holidays

Employees have the right to paid time off on legal national holidays.

Sources

1. Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/tunisia

2. Payroll and Benefits Guide Tunisia, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/tunisia/

3. Definitive Guide to Hiring in Tunisia, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/Tunisia

4. Labor Law, Chapter Four: Leaves, https://www.abl.org.lb/Library/Files/Files/conv%20chap%204.pdf (in Arabic)

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