Employers, what do you know about maternity and paternity leave in Ghana?
Considering a business expansion to Ghana?
Expanding to Ghana may prove to be a profitable business decision indeed – what with the country being rich in natural resources like gold and diamonds, and having a stable economy and politics– but even the most profitable decision can be dampened by non-compliance issues, specifically those related to labour, like parental leave.
To avoid souring your business experience, here is all you need to know about maternity and paternity leave in Ghana:
Maternity leave
When does maternity leave begin to apply in Ghana – in fact, how long is maternity leave supposed to be? Will you have to remunerate your workers during that time? We dive into these questions and more here:
How long does maternity leave last in Ghana?
In Ghana, the statutory maternity leave lasts for 12 weeks. This maternity leave is applicable when a female worker presents a medical certificate issued by a medical practitioner or a midwife detailing the expected date of her confinement. Pregnant employees are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave in addition to all the annual leave they are entitled to.
Is maternity leave remunerated in Ghana?
In Ghana, maternity leave is fully remunerated, that is, expecting female employees must be paid their salaries in full during their maternity leave. They must also receive any other benefits they would normally be entitled to. It is the employer who pays maternity benefits.
Can maternity leave be extended in Ghana?
If there is a health issue, or other abnormal occurrence during a woman’s confinement period, she may extend her leave for at least 2 additional weeks.
If an expecting female worker experiences pregnancy-related illnesses, duly certified by a medical practitioner, her pregnancy leave may be extended as recommended by the medical practitioner.
Similarly, when a woman experiences illness because of her confinement, she is entitled to an extension of her maternity leave as certified and prescribed by a medical practitioner.
What happens in the case of multiple births?
Women who give birth to twins, or generally to more than one baby, are entitled to at least 2 additional weeks of paid maternity leave.
Can a pregnant woman do “night work” in Ghana?
No. Unless the female employee consents to doing night work, no employer in Ghana is allowed to assign or hire an expecting woman worker to do work between 10 o'clock at night and 7 o'clock in the morning.
Can a pregnant woman work overtime in Ghana?
Without her consent, employers cannot ask a pregnant woman worker or a mother of a child of less than 8 months old, to work overtime hours. If an employer violates this law, the concerned worker may present a written complaint to the National Labour Commission, which will investigate and rule on the matter.
What conditions can pregnant women work under in Ghana?
Ghanaian Labour Law clearly stipulates that a pregnant worker should not be asked to work in a post outside her place of residence after the completion of the fourth month of her pregnancy – so long as the assignment, in the opinion of a medical practitioner or midwife, is detrimental to her health.
What does Ghanaian labour law say about women once they’ve given birth?
According to the law, nursing mothers are entitled to a 1-hour break during working hours to nurse her baby. And any interruptions that this break may cause should be viewed as part of the employee’s working hours – and as such, should be remunerated in consequence.
By definition, in the labour law, a nursing mother means a woman who is breastfeeding her child for a period not exceeding one year.
Paternity leave in Ghana
There is no paternity leave in Ghana. Men who wish to take time off work to care for their newborn children must do so at their own discretion, that is, they will need to use any annual leave they have accrued – subject to approval by their employer. Naturally, as an employer, if you wish to improve the Employee Experience within your company, offering paid paternity leave may be a good way to do this.
Looking to improve employee wellness in Ghana?
Many industries like IT & Telecom, Fintech and more have a hypercompetitive job market. Top talent can too quickly be snatched…but can just as easily be lost when the employee experience is poor.
Because medical insurance is especially important for pregnant women, Africa HR Solutions helps you offer more than just the basics to your workers with our flexible and customisable medical insurances, valid all across Africa. Customisable to your employees’ particular needs, our medical insurance plans – in collaboration with global insurer Unisure – give your workers the peace of mind they need to continue to do their best work for your company.
Want to chat about your employees’ medical insurance needs, or about staying compliant in Ghana? Want to find out more about our FREE life insurance offer? Our team is happy to help you.
Source: LABOUR ACT – 2003 (ACT 651)
Navigate employee leave and benefits with Africa HR Solutions
Africa HR Solutions is an EOR, PEO, and payroll provider present in 45+ African countries. Their expertise in local labour law, as well as their sophisticated Employee Self-Service System, lift the burden of compliance from clients’ shoulders. Find out more about Africa HR Solutions here.
