Maternity and Work
Maternity Leave
Maternity leave is provided and regulated under the Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004.
Female workers are entitled to at least twelve weeks (84 days) of fully paid maternity leave or 100 consecutive days (in case of multiple births) within a leave cycle of 36 months. A worker is entitled to 84 days paid maternity leave within a leave cycle if the newborn dies within a year of birth.
In case of premature birth, the female employee is entitled to maternity leave until the child reaches 40 weeks of gestation. If a mother gives birth at 32 weeks, she will be entitled to the normal 84 days maternity leave, plus an additional period of 8 weeks (to cover until the child reaches 40 weeks of gestation). This will ensure the additional care needs for premature babies.
A pregnant worker must notify the employer and provide a medical certificate 3 months prior to proceeding on Maternity leave. She may commence maternity leave four weeks prior to the expected date of confinement or earlier if a medical practitioner certifies that it is necessary for the worker or her child. Also, a worker is not allowed to work within 6 weeks of a child's birth unless a medical practitioner certifies her to do so.
An employer is required to grant paid maternity leave to a worker four times during the entire tenure of her service.
Source: §33 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004; §8 of the Labour Law (amendments) Act, 2025
Income
The maternity leave is awarded with full pay. Maternity leave benefits are paid by the employer.
Social Insurance provides a lump sum of up to 12 weeks of the insured worker's average daily wage in the six months before the 20th week of pregnancy. The lump sum may be paid in two parts: four weeks before and eight weeks after childbirth (four weeks after childbirth for a stillborn child). Source: §33 of Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004, § 45(b) of the National Social Security Fund Act 1997; ISSA Country Profile Tanzania
Pregnancy Testing / Inquiry in Recruitment
The Employment and Labour Relations Act, 2004 prohibits direct and indirect discrimination in employment policies, practices and terms, including recruitment, selection and hiring, on grounds such as sex, gender, pregnancy, marital status, family responsibility, etc. The legislation also makes any terminations automatically unfair if they are based on pregnancy.
Source: §7 & 37(3) of the Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004
Free Medical Care
In accordance with the law, a woman is entitled to prenatal confinement and post-natal medical care, if she has made at least thirty-six monthly contributions, of which twelve contributions are made in the thirty-six months prior to the date of confinement. Maternity benefits are provided upon the receipt by the Director General of a medical certificate from an authorised medical practitioner, certifying that the woman expects delivery of a child
Source: §44-45 of the National Social Security Fund Act 1997
Regulations on Maternity and Work
- Sheria ya Ajira na Mahusiano Kazini Sehemu ya 6 ya 2004 / Employment and Labour Relations Act, No. 6 of 2004
- Sheria ya Mfuko wa Hifandhi ya Taifa ya Jamii (NSSF) Mwaka, 1997 / National Social Security Fund Act, 1997
