Annual Leave and Holidays
Paid Vacation / Annual Leave
Employees receive 15 days of paid annual leave, with at least 8 days taken within six months and the rest accumulable for up to three years. Unused leave is paid out if employment ends before it is taken.
Workers are entitled to a minimum of 1.25 days of paid annual leave for each month of employment. In total, this translates to 15 working days of annual leave. Annual leave does not increase with the length of employment with the employer.
Of the total 15 working days' leave earned in respect of a period of 12 months, at least eight working days have to be taken no later than six months immediately after the end of the period in respect of which the leave was earned. Remaining leave can be accumulated year by year but is not to be accumulated for longer than three years immediately after the end of the period in respect of which leave was first accumulated. At the end of that three years' period, all the accumulated leave together with all the leave earned in respect of the immediately preceding period of 12 months must be taken.
Payment in lieu of annual leave is possible. Where a contract of employment is terminated by either party to the contract, the employer is to pay to the employee his basic pay in respect of any period of leave accumulated or which has otherwise accrued to him but has not been granted before the termination of the contract of employment, and leave in respect of every month or part of a month of continuous employment after he last became entitled to leave.
Source: §98 of the Employment Act, 1982 (Cap. 47:01)
Pay on Public Holidays
Workers in Botswana are entitled to eight fully paid public holidays. Public holidays are adjusted if they fall on rest days, ensuring a weekday off in lieu.
Workers are entitled to fully paid festival (public and religious) holidays. These include memorial holidays and religious holidays (Christian origin). There are a total of eight public holidays. These are New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, 1st May, President's Day, Day following President's Day, Botswana Day, Christmas Day. However, for the mining industry, only Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Botswana Day are public holidays.
Public holidays in Botswana are adjusted when they coincide with the weekly rest days. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes the public holiday. If any of the following public holidays fall on a Monday, the following Tuesday becomes the public holiday.
- 2nd January
- 1st October,
- Boxing Day
If the Botswana Day (30th September) falls on a Saturday, the next Monday is observed as the public holiday.
Source: §99 and the Second Schedule of the Employment Act, 1982 (Cap. 47:01); §2 of the Public Holidays Act, 2006 (Cap 03:07)
Weekly Rest Days
Workers are entitled to a rest period of at least 24 consecutive hours in 7 consecutive days. This period is ordinarily a Sunday or includes a Sunday. Where the employee is engaged on shift work, such worker is to be granted a rest period comprising any period of 30 consecutive hours.
Source: §93 & 95 of the Employment Act, 1982 (Cap. 47:01)
Regulations on Annual Leave and Holidays
- Employment Act, 1982 (Cap. 47:01)1982 (Cap. 47:01)
- Public Holidays Act, 2006
