Your Right to Parental Leave
Tanzanian law protects the right of working parents to take time off when a child is born. These protections apply to all employees in the formal sector, regardless of industry or position.
Understanding your rights before you need them ensures you can plan effectively and advocate for yourself if an employer fails to comply.
Maternity Leave
**Duration:** 84 days (approximately 12 weeks) at full pay.
**Eligibility:** Available to all female employees who have completed at least 6 months of continuous employment.
**Frequency:** Entitled once every 3 years.
**How to apply:** 1. Notify your employer in writing as early as possible (recommended by the 6th month of pregnancy) 2. Provide a medical certificate confirming the expected delivery date 3. Your employer cannot refuse maternity leave
**Job protection:** - Your position must be held for you during leave - You cannot be fired or discriminated against because of pregnancy - You have the right to return to the same or equivalent position - Your leave period counts as continuous service for benefits purposes
**Nursing breaks:** After returning to work, you're entitled to two 1-hour breaks daily for nursing for up to 6 months.
Paternity Leave
**Duration:** 3 days at full pay.
**Eligibility:** All male employees at the time of their child's birth.
**Important notes:** - The 3 days are consecutive working days - Some employers offer more generous paternity leave voluntarily - Take the leave close to the birth date
**The reality gap:** Tanzania's 3-day paternity leave is among the shortest in East Africa. Some progressive employers, particularly international organizations and tech companies, offer 1-2 weeks. If this matters to you, ask about paternity policies during the hiring process.
**What to do if your rights are violated:** Contact the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration (CMA) or a labor lawyer. Dismissal related to pregnancy or parental leave is unlawful and grounds for compensation.