Last updated on January 18, 2024.

Public Holidays in Bahamas for 2024

PTO

• Vacation/Annual Paid Leave

Every employer is required to give a vacation of at least two weeks to each employee upon the completion of each twelve months of employment.

The vacation will be extended by one day for every public holiday that occurs during the vacation.

The vacation pay 

In respect of an employee who has been employed for six months or more but under one year, will be one-week basic pay earned by the employee during the year of employment in respect of which he is entitled to the vacation.

In respect of an employee who has been employed for one year or more but under seven years, will be two weeks basic pay earned by the employee during the year of employment in respect of which he is entitled to the vacation.

In respect of an employee who has been employed for seven years or more will be three weeks basic pay earned by the employee during the year of employment in respect of which he is entitled to the vacation.

The employer is required to, at least one day before the beginning of the vacation, or such earlier time as may be prescribed, pay to the employee the vacation pay to which he is entitled in respect of that vacation.

Rollovers and payout of unused hours

• Use-it-or-lose-it policy Not specified by law
• PTO payout at the termination

Where the employment of any employee ends before the completion of a year of employment, the employer is required to pay the employee vacation pay on a pro-rata basis of the basic pay earned by the employee during the uncompleted year.

An employer is not required to pay to an employee any amount unless the employee has been continuously employed by him for ninety days or more.

Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave

Maternity Leave

Every female employee is, in addition to her annual holiday entitled to maternity leave upon delivering to her employer:

• a certificate issued by a medical practitioner setting forth the expected date of her confinement
• a certificate issued by a medical practitioner or a midwife setting forth the actual date of her confinement

Except where an employee otherwise desires, maternity leave will be for not less than twelve weeks and will be so arranged that the employee is allowed:

• such period, not less than one week, as she desires before the expected date of confinement.
• a period of not less than eight weeks from the date of confinement.

An employee who, after confinement, suffers any illness arising out of such confinement is granted, in addition to the maternity leave, such additional unpaid leave not exceeding six weeks as a medical practitioner recommends.

A female employee to qualify for a grant of maternity leave must be employed for at least twelve months by the employer from whom she requests such leave, and is not entitled to maternity pay by the same employer more than once every three years.

In addition to the grant of maternity leave the payment to her by the employer during such leave once in every three years of a minimum sum equivalent to thirty-three and one-third percent of that portion of her wages.

Paternity Leave

An employee who has been employed for at least six months is entitled to family leave without pay for a period not exceeding one week per year following the birth of a child.

Sick Leave

An employee who has been employed for at least six months is entitled to one-week sick leave with pay in any year where he is prevented by illness from performing his duties at his place of work:

Provided that no employee will be entitled to receive payment in respect of periods of sick leave which is only one day long nor to accumulate such leave from year to year.

Every employee is required to produce to his employer a medical certificate except in respect of the first day’s sick leave for any period of sick leave.

An employee is entitled to receive payment in respect of the first day’s sick leave where he presents a medical certificate to his employer.

Jury Duty Leave and Voting Leave

Jury Duty Leave

Any employee who is not sworn to serve as a juror remains liable to return to his place of employment until his further attendance is required.

An employer shall not adversely affect the remuneration of an employee by reason only that he has been summoned.

An employer shall not dismiss or threaten to dismiss an employee.

Voting Leave

Employees are entitled to up to two hours of paid time off to vote in a National Elections.

Bereavement Leave

An employee who has been employed for at least six months is entitled to family leave without pay for a period not exceeding one week per year following the death of a child, spouse, or parent.

Military Leave

• Not specified by law.