Payroll and Benefits Guide Benin

Annual Leave (vacation)

A full-time employee is entitled to 30 calendar days (2.5 days per month) of paid leave per year.

The leave can be carried over to the next year for up to twelve additional months.

Paid time off

Under the Benin Labour Code, employees earn statutory paid annual leave (typically 2 days per month, ~24 days/year). However, the law itself does not clearly provide for automatic carryover of unused annual leave into the next leave year — the Code du Travail is silent on leave carryover rules. Any accumulation or deferment beyond the leave year would generally depend on collective agreements, contracts, or employer-employee arrangements. If leave isn’t taken before employment ends, the accrued leave must be paid out on termination. Employers cannot implement a policy that broadly cancels statutory leave simply because the year ended, but default statutory carryover rights aren’t expressly set out in law either

Public Holidays

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday an official notice or company policy shall determine if the following working day will be observed as a day off in lieu.

Sick Leave

Employees who have worked for less than twenty four months are entitled to up to 6 months of sick leave. Employees who have worked for more than 24 months are entitled to 12 months of sick leave.

Workers with more than 12 months but less than 5 years of service receive full pay for first 3 months of sick leave and half pay for the next 3 months of sick leave. After 5 years of service, full pay is given for 6 months of the sick leave period.

Workers must present a medical certificate.

Maternity Leave

In Benin, female employees are entitled to a maternity leave period of 14 weeks. This leave includes 6 weeks before and 8 weeks after the expected date of childbirth. Maternity benefits are paid at full salary through the Social Insurance system (CNSS) for employees who have made sufficient contributions.

Paternity Leave

Under Collective Labor Agreements, fathers are entitled to 3 days of paid leave following the birth.

Parental Leave

There is no additional parental leave granted under the law.

Other Leave

Under Collective Labour Agreements, workers are entitled to the following leaves:

• Marriage Leave – 3 days of paid leave on the occasion of their marriage.
• Bereavement Leave – up to 3 days of paid leave for the death of a family member.