Work Life Balance

All about Getting a Work Life Balance in Zambia, A Work Life balance for Men and Women, Work Life Balance and Legislation and more in Zambia on Mywage Zambia.

Internationally, the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention provides that all workers, both men and women, should be able to engage in employment without being subject to discrimination or conflict between their employment and their family responsibilities. They should be free from restrictions based on family responsibilities when participating in economic activities. 

What does the law in Zambia say?

Zambian labour laws provide for paid leave and maternity leave for people who juggle work, family and personal responsibilities. The Employment Act, minimum wage legislation and various collective agreements allow for maternity leave and remuneration when on maternity leave for example. 

Who bears the costs?

Employers bear the cost of maternity leave directly. In the past, the burden was shared between the employers and the social security scheme. The burden of attending to family responsibilities in Zambia falls disproportionately more on women than on men. The lack of comprehensive child-care facilities means that working mothers have to take care of much of the responsibility. 

What if a child is sick?

If a child is sick, the law provides leave for women only to go on paid leave to enable them to nurse their sick or hospitalised child. The leave taken to nurse a sick child is not deducted from the employee’s accrued leave days. The law only provides for nursing a child in hospital, and not for nursing a spouse or a close family member. 

What about men? 

In Zambian society, women are seen as the care givers to the family and are also expected to do their share of field work. The work-family balance policy has shown no evidence of legislation that allows male and female employees to request flexible working arrangements so that they can share responsibilities. Balancing work-life duties is at the mercy of an employer who may offer flexible working conditions for working spouses.

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Find out more about Working Women in Zambia.


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