Work leaves in Mozambique: full list with days

If you arrived at the Inademy Guide searching for Mozambique labor law leaves, the answer is in Law No. 13/2023: 90 days of maternity, 7 days of paternity, 5 days for marriage, and 5 or 2 days for the death of a family member — each with the specific article of the law guaranteeing it, cited throughout this guide.

Leave and absence are not the same thing, and this confusion costs many people days of salary. Leave is an absence provided for by law, with its own period and payment regime. A justified absence (short-term leave) is a short absence for a specific reason. Knowing which side of the line your situation falls on changes the request you make to the company and the response you receive.

This guide compiles the complete list, with the days for each leave and the exact legal basis. For the general overview of numbers, the worker rights guide in Mozambique is the best entry point; and Labor Law 13/2023 is analyzed article by article in another guide.

The short answer

• Maternity: 90 consecutive days, which can begin up to 20 days before the probable date of delivery (Art. 14).
• Paternity: 7 days, starting from the day following the birth; increases to 60 days if the mother dies or becomes incapacitated (Art. 15).
• Marriage: 5 days of justified absence (Art. 112, paragraph a).
• Bereavement: 5 days for the death of a spouse, partner, or close family member; 2 days for uncles/aunts, cousins, nephews/nieces, grandchildren, and brothers/sisters-in-law (Art. 112, paragraphs b and c).
• Tests and exams: student-workers may be absent without loss of pay, with 7 days' notice (Art. 31).
• Unpaid leave: for the duration agreed with the employer, upon request and duly justified (Art. 116).

Maternity leave: 90 days

Article 14 grants female employees, in addition to regular annual leave, a maternity leave of 90 consecutive days. The count can start up to 20 days before the expected date of delivery — a buffer that exists because babies do not always wait for the due date. Within that limit, the worker decides when to stop working.

The right applies to full-term or premature births, regardless of whether it resulted in a live birth or stillbirth (paragraph 2). If the mother or child is hospitalized, the leave is suspended during hospital confinement (paragraph 3), so you do not lose leave days inside a hospital ward.

Regarding remuneration, paragraph 5 refers to the mandatory social security scheme: INSS covers payments during the absence. The INSS guide in Mozambique explains what benefits exist and how to apply for them.

The right does not end with childbirth: the mother can interrupt daily work to breastfeed, in two half-hour periods or one full hour period, up to one year after the end of the leave (Art. 16, paragraph c).

The law adds a life-changing protection: the employment contract cannot be terminated during pregnancy and up to one year after the end of the leave, except upon expiration or dismissal based on legal grounds (Art. 16, paragraph d).

With a medical prescription, pregnant women also have the right to time off to prevent clinical risks, without prejudice to maternity leave (Art. 13, paragraph 4). Deadlines, payment, and job protection are detailed in the maternity and paternity leave guide.

Paternity leave: 7 days

Article 15 sets paternity leave at seven days, starting on the day after the child's birth. Taking the leave must be communicated in writing to the employer (paragraph 5) — a written message sent on the day of birth, with a saved copy, resolves most cases.

There is a time limit that avoids surprises: workers cannot access paternity leave within a period of one year and six months following a previously taken leave (paragraph 2). And there is a serious case where days increase: death or incapacitation of the mother, proven by a competent health authority, grants entitlement to 60 days (paragraph 3).

For spouses working for the same employer, even in different establishments, the law allows the substitution/sharing of maternity or paternity leave in the interest of work (paragraph 4). In practice, one of the two adjusts dates with the company so operations do not stop.

Marriage and bereavement: the days under Article 112

Article 112 does not use the word "leave" for these cases — it speaks of justified absences, with days fixed paragraph by paragraph. The practical effect is the same: absence without loss of pay, seniority, or annual leave (Art. 114).

• Marriage — 5 days (paragraph a). Five days for your wedding, with no salary deductions.
• Death of a close family member — 5 days (paragraph b): spouse, de facto partner, father, mother, children, stepchildren, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren, stepfather, stepmother, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law.
• Death of an extended family member — 2 days (paragraph c): uncles/aunts, cousins, nephews/nieces, grandchildren, and brothers/sisters-in-law. Two days for the funeral and travel.

These absences are foreseeable, and foreseeable absences must be communicated to the employer with at least two days' notice (Art. 112, paragraph 5). A funeral announced in a hospital, a civil registry marriage: give at least two days' notice and keep a written record. Article 114 prohibits deducting these periods from annual vacation — the full calculation of annual leave is in the work vacation guide in Mozambique.

Illness, accident, and family assistance

Paragraph d) justifies the inability to perform work due to circumstances not attributable to the worker, namely illness or accident. Paragraph f) covers female workers' recovery in case of miscarriage occurring earlier than seven months prior to the expected delivery date.

Paragraph g) authorizes absence to assist a spouse, de facto partner, children, wards/foster children, parents, stepchildren, siblings, grandparents, parents-in-law, sons-in-law, and daughters-in-law in case of illness or accident.

Accompanying a hospitalized child has its own rule in paragraph e): mothers and fathers accompanying their own children — or other minors under their responsibility — may remain by the child's side in a hospital setting. Article 114 adds that these absences should not be deducted for an equivalent period from vacation or salary.

When illness persists, the law introduces verification: sick absences exceeding 15 consecutive days, or more than five days of sick absence in a quarter, may refer the worker to the Medical Board (Junta de Saúde), which rules on work capacity (Art. 113). Refusing evaluation without valid justification is itself a disciplinary offense.

Student-worker: tests and exams

Article 31 addresses a case few people know about: student-workers have the right to be absent from work during test and exam periods without loss of pay. Notice to the employer must be given at least seven days in advance, unless there is a reason not attributable to the employee preventing earlier notice.

This status applies to those working with employer authorization to attend a course at an educational institution (paragraph 1) and remains valid with passing academic performance (paragraph 2). Anyone studying while working should keep the exam schedule and notify early: it is this notice that protects the right.

Unpaid leave and contract suspension

Article 116 gives the employer the discretion to grant unpaid leave upon the worker's duly justified request for a duration agreed between both parties. The law does not specify days: the period is negotiated. Therefore, the request must be specific — clear reason, start date, return date.

Unpaid leave suspends the contract, just like maternity and paternity leave (Art. 132, paragraph 2). During suspension, rights and duties related to actual work performance cease, while mutual loyalty and respect obligations remain; the worker retains the right to their job position (paragraph 6).

Outside of official leaves, the same article suspends the employment relationship when the worker is temporarily prevented from working due to circumstances not attributable to them and the impediment lasts for more than 15 days — mandatory military service being a classic example (paragraph 1). Pay attention to the duty to inform: anyone failing to report their inability to attend is subject to the unauthorized absence regime (paragraph 3).

Mistakes that cost leave days

• Making only verbal requests. Maternity requires written notification of status, paternity must be communicated in writing, and foreseeable absences require two days' notice. Without a written record, the absence can be treated as unauthorized.
• Confusing leave with justified absence. The 90 days of maternity are not simple "absences": they have their own legal status under Articles 14 to 16. Citing the correct article facilitates HR processing.
• Assuming everything is paid. Maternity leave pay is handled through social security (Art. 14, paragraph 5); unpaid leave, as the name implies, is not paid.
• Ignoring notice periods. Seven days for tests and exams, two days for foreseeable absences. Communicating late opens the door to salary deductions.
• Disappearing without notice. Uncommunicated inability to work applies the unauthorized absence regime (Art. 132, paragraph 3), resulting in loss of pay and risk of disciplinary action (Art. 115).

How Inademy helps you

Rights like these stem from a formal employment contract. On Inademy, job openings are published by real companies and application is direct: profiles are free, accept PDF CVs, and send new job alerts via email and WhatsApp. View job openings in Mozambique and choose companies that respect the law from day one.

Read also

• Employment contract in Mozambique: types and rules
• Probationary period in Mozambique: time limits and rules

Where these numbers come from

• Law No. 13/2023 of August 25 (Labor Law), Official Gazette (Boletim da República), Series I, No. 165 — Articles 14 (maternity leave), 15 (paternity leave), 16 (maternity protection), 31 (student-worker), 112 (concept and types of absences), 113 (Medical Board), 114 (effects of justified absences), 116 (unpaid leave), and 132 (suspension of contract); full text consulted for this guide.
• All day counts come directly from the legal text: 90 days starting 20 days before delivery (Art. 14), 7 days and 60 days (Art. 15), 5 and 2 days (Art. 112), 7 days' notice (Art. 31), and impediment exceeding 15 days (Art. 132).
• Collective bargaining agreements may establish conditions more favorable than the law (Art. 19) — the minimums listed here can never be reduced by contract or company custom.

Frequently asked questions

"Mozambique labor law leaves": where is the official list?

In the text of Law No. 13/2023, published in the Official Gazette (Boletim da República), Series I, No. 165, of August 25, 2023. Maternity is in Article 14, paternity in 15, justified absences with fixed days in 112, and unpaid leave in 116.

How many days do I get for marriage?

Five days, pursuant to paragraph a) of Article 112. As a foreseeable absence, notify the employer at least two days in advance and keep proof of communication — this ensures no salary deduction.

Can paternity leave exceed 7 days?

Yes. In cases of mother's death or incapacitation, certified by a competent health authority, leave is granted for 60 days (Art. 15, paragraph 3). In all other cases, it is seven days starting the day after birth.

Who pays for maternity leave?

Article 14, paragraph 5, defers female workers' maternity leave remuneration to the mandatory social security system. In practice, INSS processes the benefit and the employer reports the absence with supporting documents — ask human resources which documents are needed during the first months of pregnancy.

Do I lose vacation days or seniority during leaves?

For justified absences, Article 114 prohibits any loss or harm to rights regarding remuneration, seniority, and vacation. For leaves that suspend the contract — maternity, paternity, and unpaid leave — the worker retains the right to their job position (Art. 132, paragraph 6), and pregnant workers also have job protection up to one year after the end of the leave (Art. 16).

Can I miss work to take exams?

Yes, if you are a student-worker under Article 31. Absence during tests and exams does not cost you remuneration, provided you give at least seven days' notice and maintain passing grades.

Who decides the duration of unpaid leave?

The parties involved, on a case-by-case basis. The law does not set specific days — Article 116 refers to the duration agreed upon between worker and employer following a duly justified request. Make the request in writing, with start and return dates, so contract suspension is clear to both sides.

In summary, what to do today

1. Identify your situation on the list: maternity (90 days), paternity (7), marriage (5), bereavement (5 or 2), tests and exams, unpaid leave.
2. Save Articles 14, 15, 31, 112, 116, and 132 of Law 13/2023 on your phone — your request relies on them.
3. Make the request in writing, citing the legal article, and keep a copy of the message.
4. Respect notice deadlines: two days for foreseeable absences, seven days for tests and exams.
5. Attach supporting documents proving the reason: medical certificate, official certificate, proof of hospitalization or enrollment.
6. If the company denies a right guaranteed by law, request a written response and bring the case to the General Labor Inspectorate — the Labor Inspectorate and trade unions guide explains where to file a complaint.

Official source: Law No. 13/2023 (Labour Law) is available as a PDF on the website of Mozambique's Supreme Court (Tribunal Supremo): official text (PDF).