Family Responsibilities

Paternity Leave

Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004 provides for paid paternity leave of at least 3 days (in a leave cycle of 12 months) or 7 days in case of premature birth for a new father if this leave is taken within the 7 days of the birth of a child.

The employer may require reasonable proof of the birth of a child prior to paying for paternity leave. The employee must be employed with the same employer for at least six months in the 12 months before the birth or be employed on a seasonal basis by the same employer.

Source: §34 of the Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004; §8 of the Labour Law (amendments) Act, 2025, ISSA Country Profile Tanzania

Parental Leave

There is no provision in the law on paid or unpaid parental leave.

Flexible Work Option for Parents / Work-Life Balance

No provisions could be located in the law supporting work-life balance for parents or workers with family responsibilities.

Previously, the law was silent on adjustments during emergencies (e.g. pandemics). No explicit provision allowed altering work hours, location or other terms even if a crisis (like COVID-19) severely affected workplace safety or continuity.

Under the 2025 Amendment, there is a new provision for modifying work arrangements during emergencies. Employers and employees can now mutually agree on special working terms in the event of extraordinary situations like infectious disease outbreaks or other emergencies that threaten employee safety or disrupt operations.

Source: §16A of the Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004

Special Leaves

According to the Employment and Labour Law Amendment 2025, the employee is entitled to up to 30 days of unpaid leave in case of personal emergency, disaster, or family-related crisis. It can be extended further upon mutual agreement.

Source: §34A of the Employment and Labour Relations Act 2004