Zambia Leave Laws & Holidays

Last updated on September 16, 2025.

Paid Time Off (PTO) in Zambia

Vacation (Annual Leave) Quota

24 days

Full-time employees in Zambia are entitled to 24 days of paid vacation (annual leave) per year. Employees become entitled to partial vacation after 6 months of continuous service at the company. After the full year of service, they become entitled to regular full entitlement. Therefore, in the second year of employment, they start accruing 2 days of annual leave per month, leading to their full entitlement of 24 days (12 x 2) per year.

Part-time workers are entitled to paid vacation, which is calculated based on the number of hours they work each month.

Annual leave is separate from any public holidays or regular days off like weekends (which are set by law, agreements, or customary practices) and on which the employee is not required to work according to their employment contract.

The timing and schedule of annual leave are decided through a mutual agreement between the employer and the employee.

If an employer permits carryover, unused vacation days can be carried over from one to the next year (the rest must be used or paid out).

Payment of Unused Vacation on Termination

If an employment contract ends for reasons other than the employee’s resignation or immediate dismissal, and before the employee has earned their entitled vacation, they are eligible to receive 2 days of full pay for each month of work they completed. Therefore, all unused vacation days must be paid out upon termination.

Sick Leave in Zambia

Up to 6 months.

Employees in Zambia are entitled to sick leave ranging from 52 days to 6 months, depending on the duration and type of their employment contract.

Employees who have worked for at least 12 months are eligible for paid sick leave for up to 6 months:

• paid at a rate of 100% for the first 3 months;
• paid at a rate of 50% for the remaining 3 months.

Employees on shorter-term contracts are entitled to up to 52 days of sick leave:

• paid at a rate of 100% for the first 26 days;
• paid at a rate of 50% for the remaining 26 days.

Starting from the second day of absence caused by an illness, employees must provide a medical certificate.

Payout

Sick leave is paid by the employer.

Family Responsibility Leave

7 days per year.

Employees who have worked for at least six months are entitled to 7 working days of fully paid family leave per year to attend to the needs of a sick child, a dependent, or a spouse. The employer can ask for a doctor’s certificate in order to approve leave.

On top of that, an employee is also entitled to 3 paid leave days per year to manage general care, health, or education needs for a child, dependent, or spouse.

These days are not deducted an employee’s annual leave quota.

Also, family responsibility leave can’t be accumulated or carried over to the following year.

Payout

Family responsibility leave is paid by the employer. An employee receives 100% of the regular salary during leave.

Maternity and Paternity Leave

Maternity Leave in Zambia

14 weeks

A pregnant employee in Zambia is entitled to 14 weeks of regular maternity leave. They must take at least 6 weeks of this leave after the child’s birth. If there are multiple births, maternity leave is extended up to 18 weeks. If a female employee becomes temporarily unable to perform her duties due to a pregnancy-related illness, she may take sick leave.

Rights and Obligations

To be eligible for maternity leave, an employee must have worked at the company for at least 6 months. Also, a medical certificate must be presented, signed by a medical practitioner.

It is prohibited for an employer to terminate, penalize, or otherwise disadvantage a female employee for reasons related to her pregnancy. After the end of regular maternity leave, an employee keeps the right to return to her original job (or to a reasonably similar position).

Nursing Breaks

Upon returning to work, an employee is entitled to breaks included within their working hours in one of the two following ways:

• two breaks for nursing each day, lasting 30 minutes each,

or

• a single one-hour break.

Payout

Maternity leave is paid by the employer at a rate of 100% of the regular salary. However, an employee must have 2 years of service in the company to be entitled to this pay.

Paternity Leave in Zambia

5 days

An employee in Zambia receives 5 continuous working days of paternity leave upon becoming a father. This leave must be used within the first seven days following the birth of a child.

Payout

Paternity leave is paid by the employer at a rate of 100% of the regular salary. To be eligible for paid paternity leave, an employee must have 12 months of service at the employer.

Bereavement Leave in Zambia

12 days.

Employees are legally entitled to 12 days of paid compassionate leave per year in the unfortunate event of the death of a parent, a spouse, a dependent, or a child. This leave cannot be carried over to the next year.

A compassionate leave may also be taken for certain other personal needs of the employee.

This compassionate leave is separate from other types of leave that employees are entitled to: annual leave, sick leave, family responsibility leave, etc.

Payout

Compassionate (bereavement) leave is paid by the employer (100% of salary).

Jury Duty Leave in Zambia

Jury duty leave is not specified by law. Zambia does not have a jury system in its courts.

Military Leave in Zambia

Military leave is not specified by law. There’s no conscription - military service is voluntary.

Voting Leave in Zambia

Voting day is public holiday.

Under the Constitution, general election day is automatically a public holiday, so employees get a paid day off to vote, both in the public and private sectors. In 2021, the government even added the following day as a holiday. Essential workers who must work even on election day should still be given time to vote.

Public Holidays in Zambia

Public holidays that fall on a Sunday are observed on the following Monday.

(*) - The dates of Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday vary each year according to the Christian Church calendar.

Sources of Zambia Leave Laws

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

2. Payroll and Benefits Guide Zambia, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/zambia/

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

4. REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA - THE EMPLOYMENT ACT, https://www.parliament.gov.zm/sites/default/files/documents/acts/Employment%20Act.pdf

5. Family Responsibilities, https://mywage.org/zambia/decent-work/family-responsibilities

6. THE EMPLOYMENT CODE ACT, 2019, https://www.parliament.gov.zm/sites/default/files/documents/acts/The%20Employment%20Code%20Act%20No.%203%20of%202019.pdf

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