Zimbabwe Leave Laws and Holidays

Employees are entitled to up to 90 days of paid sick leave in a three-year cycle, with the first 30 days at full pay and the subsequent days at half pay.

Notice should be given as soon as possible, ideally on the first day of absence due to illness. A medical certificate is required if the absence extends beyond two consecutive days.

Sick leave beyond two days requires a medical certificate to be submitted for approval and continuation of paid leave.

Additional sick leave may be granted under exceptional health circumstances and would typically require a detailed medical evaluation and employer's discretion.

Sick leave entitlement is not accrued monthly but is available in full at the start of each three-year cycle.

Unused sick leave from the allotted 90 days in a three-year cycle does not carry over to the next cycle.

There is no payout for unused sick leave upon termination of employment.

Unused sick leave is not paid out at the end of the year or cycle.

Proper medical documentation must be provided to substantiate the illness, particularly for extended periods of sick leave.

Employees are entitled to up to 12 days of compassionate leave per year, typically used for family emergencies or bereavement.

Notice for compassionate leave should be given as soon as possible, with the understanding that such leave is often taken in emergency situations.

Compassionate leave requires immediate notification and approval, though employers generally exercise discretion given the nature of the circumstances.

Additional compassionate leave may be granted at the discretion of the employer, depending on the specific situation.

Compassionate leave entitlement resets annually and does not accrue in the traditional sense.

Unused compassionate leave does not carry over to the next year; it is forfeited if not used.

There is no payout for unused compassionate leave upon termination of employment.

Unused compassionate leave is not paid out at the end of the year.

Compassionate leave is generally granted for events involving immediate family members, though exact definitions may vary by employer.

Study leave is granted at the discretion of the employer and may vary in length, typically provided for exams or significant educational commitments.

Employees are usually required to apply for study leave at least 30 days in advance, providing details of the educational program and examination schedule.

Study leave must be approved by the employer, and it is often contingent on the relevance of the study to the employee’s job.

Additional study leave may be granted based on employer policies, often influenced by the employee's performance and the relevance of the study to their work.

Study leave does not follow a typical accrual system but is granted based on specific instances of educational or professional development needs.

Carry over of study leave is not applicable as it is granted specifically for each educational event.

Study leave does not have a payout upon termination as it is not accrued leave.

There is no end-of-year payout for study leave as it must be used for specific educational purposes.

Proof of enrollment and examination schedules may be required to apply for study leave.

Pregnant employees are entitled to 98 days of maternity leave, which can be taken 45 days before the expected date of delivery and the remainder after childbirth.

The employee must notify their employer at least 21 days in advance of the intended start date of maternity leave, ideally with a medical certificate indicating the expected date of birth.

Maternity leave is a statutory right, but proper notification and documentation are required to facilitate the leave process.

There are no statutory provisions for additional maternity leave beyond the stipulated 98 days.

Maternity leave does not accrue over time but is granted per pregnancy as a fixed entitlement.

Carry over of maternity leave to a subsequent year is not applicable as it is tied to each individual pregnancy.

Maternity leave does not have a payout on termination as it must be used within the timeframe of the pregnancy and postpartum period.

There is no end of year payout for maternity leave as it is contingent upon the circumstances of pregnancy and childbirth.

During maternity leave, an employee is protected from being dismissed due to absence or pregnancy-related reasons.

Employees are entitled to a minimum of 30 working days of paid annual leave after completing one year of service with the same employer.

The notice period for taking annual leave can vary depending on the employer's leave policy, but employees are typically required to request leave in advance.

Annual leave requires approval from the employer, and the scheduling of such leave may depend on the needs of the organization.

Additional annual leave beyond the stipulated 30 days is not commonly granted unless under special circumstances or agreements.

Annual leave accrues monthly following the completion of the probationary period, at a rate that corresponds to the total annual entitlement.

Carrying over of unused annual leave to the next year is permitted, but typically with restrictions on the maximum number of days that can be carried over.

Upon termination of employment, any accrued but unused annual leave is paid out to the employee.

Unused annual leave is generally not paid out at the end of the year unless the employment is being terminated.

The exact terms and usage of annual leave can be subject to the employer's internal policies and the employment contract.

Fathers are entitled to 2 weeks of paternity leave to be taken within the period of the birth of their child.

Fathers must notify their employers of their intention to take paternity leave as soon as reasonably possible, ideally immediately after the birth is known.

Paternity leave requires notification and is usually subject to confirmation of the birth.

No additional paternity leave is provided under the law beyond the stipulated 2 weeks.

Paternity leave does not accrue and is available as a fixed entitlement per childbirth.

Carrying over of unused paternity leave is not applicable as it must be used within the timeframe surrounding the birth.

There is no payout for unused paternity leave upon termination as it is intended to be used specifically around the time of childbirth.

There is no end of year payout for paternity leave as it must be used in relation to a specific childbirth event.

Paternity leave is specifically intended to support the father during the period immediately following the birth of his child.

Employees are entitled to up to 12 days of special leave per calendar year for specific reasons such as bereavement, jury duty, or exceptional circumstances.

Employees should notify their employer as soon as they become aware of the need for special leave, providing relevant documentation where applicable.

Special leave must be approved by the employer, and employees may be required to provide justification or documentation for the leave request.

Employers may grant additional special leave beyond 12 days in exceptional cases, but this is discretionary and depends on company policy.

Special leave does not accrue like annual leave. It is granted on a case-by-case basis when needed.

Special leave is only available within the calendar year and does not roll over to the next year if unused.

Unused special leave is not compensated upon termination of employment.

Since special leave is granted based on specific needs, there is no provision for end-of-year payouts.

Special leave is typically granted for bereavement, jury duty, national duty, or other exceptional circumstances as defined by labor laws or company policy.

Employees are entitled to take leave on officially recognized public holidays in Zimbabwe without a reduction in their leave balance.

Public holiday leave is automatically observed according to the national holiday calendar.

Public holidays are non-working days as per labor laws, and approval is not required unless the employee is requested to work.

Public holiday leave is only available on government-declared holidays and cannot be extended beyond those days.

Public holiday leave is fixed based on the national holiday schedule and does not accumulate like other leave types.

Since public holidays are observed on set dates, there is no carryover policy.

Public holiday leave is not a payable benefit upon termination since it is not accrued.

Public holidays do not translate into monetary compensation if unused.

Employees required to work on a public holiday are entitled to additional compensation, typically double pay or compensatory leave, depending on labor laws and employment contracts

Unpaid leave can be taken when an employee has exhausted all other leave entitlements or for personal reasons, subject to employer approval.

Employees must formally request unpaid leave in advance, specifying the duration and reason for absence.

Unpaid leave is not an automatic entitlement and must be approved by the employer.

There is no statutory limit on unpaid leave, but employers may impose restrictions based on business needs.

Unpaid leave is taken as needed and does not accumulate over time.

Since unpaid leave is taken on request, there is no carryover policy.

Unpaid leave does not result in any monetary compensation upon termination.

Unused unpaid leave does not result in a payout.

Extended unpaid leave may impact benefits such as retirement contributions, insurance coverage, and length of service calculations.