Pay and rights · 3 min read
Sick leave in Ethiopia: how long you get, and what you're paid each month
Up to six months in any twelve: a month on full pay, two months on half pay and three months unpaid. You need a certificate from a recognised medical facility.
Sick leave in Ethiopia can run to six months within any twelve months, once you've finished probation. You get full pay for the first month, half pay for the next two and no pay for the last three. That's Articles 85 and 86 of Labour Proclamation 1156/2019. You need a valid medical certificate from a recognised facility, and you should tell your employer by the day after your absence.
What you're paid
Article 86 sets the pay in three steps. A collective agreement can give you better terms, so ask whether your workplace has one.
Month 1 at 100%: 12,000 Birr Months 2 and 3 at 50%: 6,000 Birr a month Months 4, 5 and 6: no pay Total over six months: 24,000 Birr
How the six months are counted
The six months can be consecutive or separate, in any twelve month period starting from the first day of your sickness (Article 85). So several short illnesses add up.
What you have to do
- Tell your employer on the day after your absence, unless your employer already knows or it's impractical (Article 85)
- Get a valid medical certificate from a recognised medical facility (Article 85)
- Keep a copy of the certificate, and note the date you gave it in
- Check your work rules and any collective agreement, as Article 85 leaves room for their terms
Sick during probation or annual leave
Article 85 gives this leave to a worker who has completed probation. So ask your employer what applies if you fall sick earlier, and read your contract.
If you need inpatient treatment while on annual leave, your annual leave is suspended and your sick leave starts (Article 79).
If the injury or illness comes from work
Article 85 covers sickness other than employment injury. An injury or disease from your work falls under other parts of the proclamation, so don't assume these pay steps apply. Report it to your employer in writing.
Who these rules don't cover
The Labour Proclamation doesn't apply to managerial employees, personal service contracts, the armed forces, the police, state administration staff, judges and prosecutors, or people working for themselves (Article 3). This page explains the law, and it isn't legal advice.
Federal civil servants have a longer entitlement under their own law: up to eight months in a year, six on full pay and two on half pay.
Sources and further reading
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Frequently asked questions
How many sick leave days do you get in Ethiopia?
Up to six months in any twelve months, counted from the first day of your sickness, after you've completed probation.
Is sick leave paid?
The first month on full pay, the next two on half pay and the last three unpaid.
Do I need a doctor's note for one day?
The law says you're entitled to sick leave on presenting a valid medical certificate. Your collective agreement or work rules may say more, so check them.
Who can issue the certificate?
A duly recognised medical facility, under Article 85.