Maternity, Paternity, and Parental Leave in Côte d’Ivoire: A 2026 Guide

Maternity and paternity leave can often be tricky for employers and employees to navigate, and even more so in a foreign country.

To help you better understand how maternity and paternity leave play out in the Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire), our experts have compiled this simple guide.

The law about maternity leave in Ivory Coast

Protection Against Discrimination in Hiring & Employment in the Ivory Coast

An employer cannot take a woman's pregnancy into account when deciding not to hire her, when ending her contract during a probationary period, or when transferring her to a different job or role. Employers are also forbidden from trying to find out, directly or indirectly, whether a candidate is pregnant.

At the pre-employment medical examination, a pregnant woman may submit an incomplete file if certain standard tests would be risky for her health or the pregnancy. Any tests not carried out are postponed until after the birth.

The types of work forbidden to women, pregnant women, and children are set out by decree.

Protection from Dismissal & Right to Resign in the Ivory Coast

An employer cannot end an employee's contract while her pregnancy is medically confirmed, or during any period when her contract is suspended for reasons connected to that pregnancy, whether or not she takes up that entitlement. Exceptions apply for serious misconduct, or for a reason unrelated to the pregnancy, birth, or adoption of a child under 15.

Unless the dismissal is justified under one of those exceptions, it is cancelled if, within 15 days of being notified, the employee sends her employer, by any method that leaves written proof, either a medical certificate confirming her pregnancy, or evidence that a child under 15 will join her household for adoption within 15 days of the dismissal notice. This does not affect the normal expiry of a fixed-term contract.

A woman with a medically confirmed pregnancy can end her contract without notice and without paying a termination fee. The same right applies to a mother during the breastfeeding period.

Maternity Leave in the Ivory Coast

An employee can suspend her contract for 14 consecutive weeks: 6 weeks before the expected birth date and 8 weeks after it. The eight-week post-natal period is extended by 2 weeks for a multiple birth and can be extended by a further 3 weeks if the woman has a documented illness resulting from the pregnancy or birth.

If the birth happens later than expected, the woman still keeps the full eight-week post-natal period. If the baby stays in hospital, post-natal leave is extended to match the length of the hospital stay, up to a maximum of 12 months.

If the woman was moved to a different role during her pregnancy because of that pregnancy, she returns to her original role once she comes back from maternity leave.

Maternity leave counts as actual working time when calculating an employee's length-of-service rights.

Maternity Leave for public sector employees

Maternity leave for civil service employees in Côte d'Ivoire is being extended from three to six months. The change was announced last week, following the publication of a decree reforming the general status of civil servants.

Paternity Leave for public sector employees

Paternity leave is also being extended, from three days to one month.

Parental Leave for public sector employees

A new parental leave entitlement is being introduced, allowing an employee to take up to one year off work to care for a child in the event of serious illness. These changes form part of a wider reform that has been underway since November 2023, aimed at modernising Côte d'Ivoire's civil service.

Temporary Reassignment During Pregnancy in the Ivory Coast

A pregnant employee can be temporarily moved to a different job or role, at her request or her employer's, if it's medically necessary. If the employer and employee disagree, the move can only happen after the labour inspection doctor gives an opinion, shared with both sides.

The temporary move cannot last longer than the pregnancy, and ends as soon as the woman's health allows her to return to her original job or role. It cannot result in any drop in pay, even if the new role is a lower one. If the disagreement leads to the contract ending, this is treated as the employer's doing.

If the employer cannot offer another role, they must explain to the pregnant employee and the labour inspection doctor why a temporary reassignment isn't possible. The contract is then suspended until legal maternity leave begins, and the employer must guarantee the employee's pay during this time.

Time Off, Medical Care & Financial Support in the Ivory Coast

A pregnant woman is allowed time off to attend compulsory medical check-ups. This time off does not reduce her pay, and counts as actual working time both for calculating paid leave and for any legal or contractual rights based on her length of service.

From the third month of pregnancy, a woman is entitled to reimbursement of medical costs relating to the pregnancy and birth, up to public healthcare rates, and receives prenatal allowances. During the 14-week leave period, plus any extensions, she is also entitled to a maternity allowance and a daily payment equal to the salary she was earning when her contract was suspended. These payments are covered by the social security institution she is registered with.

Breastfeeding Rights in the Ivory Coast

For 15 months from the day she returns to work, a mother is entitled to breastfeeding breaks, up to a total of one hour per working day.

Health & Safety Checks for Women and Children in the Ivory Coast

The labour inspector can require a work doctor to examine women and children under 18 to check that their work isn't beyond their physical capacity. This examination must be arranged if the worker asks for it.

If a woman or a child under 18 is found to be doing work beyond their capacity, they cannot stay in that role and must be moved to suitable work. If that isn't possible, the contract must be ended, with notice pay and severance pay where applicable.

General Conditions for Family Benefits in the Ivory Coast

To qualify for family benefits, an employee must meet 2 general conditions:

• Prove at least three consecutive months of work with one or more employers affiliated to the CNPS.
• Be legally married.

Prenatal Allowances in the Ivory Coast

These are paid over the nine months of pregnancy to any female employee or the wife of a male employee, starting from the day the pregnancy is declared.

Conditions:

• Attend medical check-ups at 3 months, 6 months, and 7 and a half months of pregnancy.
• Provide medical certificates for each of these visits.

Note: the first check-up must be carried out by a doctor. The other two may be carried out by either a doctor or a midwife.

Amounts:

• 3,000 F after the first examination.
• 6,000 F after the second examination.
• 4,500 F after the third examination.

Paid to: the wife of the male employee, or the female employee herself.

Maternity Allowances in the Ivory Coast

These are paid to any female employee or the wife of a male employee who gives birth to a child born alive, under medical supervision, and registered with the civil registry.

Conditions:

• Take the newborn for medical check-ups every two months from birth up to 12 months, with each visit certified by a doctor or midwife.
• Provide the birth certificate and medical certificates for the birth and subsequent visits.

Note: if no medical assistance was available at the time of birth, the parents should request a certificate of impossibility by presenting the child to a doctor. This certificate still allows the maternity allowance to be paid.

Twins, triplets, and further multiple births entitle the parents to double, triple, or correspondingly higher amounts.

Amounts: 18,000 F, paid in three instalments:

• 9,000 F at the birth of the child.
• 4,500 F when the child reaches six months.
• 4,500 F when the child reaches 12 months.

Paid to: the wife of the male employee, or the female employee herself.

Household Allowances in the Ivory Coast

These are paid on the birth of each of the employee's first 3 children from their first marriage (one registered with a civil registrar). If the first spouse dies (and this is officially recorded), the allowance can instead be paid for children of a second marriage, though the total number of children eligible remains capped at three.

Conditions (in addition to the general conditions above):

• The children must be born alive, under medical supervision, and registered with the civil registry.
• Provide the birth certificate and the birth medical certificate for each child.

Amount: 18,000 F per child, paid as a single payment at the birth of each of the first three children.

Paid to: the male employee or their spouse.

Family Allowances (AF)

These are paid for each dependent child of the employee, from age one up to age 14. This upper age limit is extended to:

• 18, if the child is in an apprenticeship.
• 21, if the child is still studying, or is unable to work due to illness or disability.

Conditions (in addition to the general conditions above):

• The male employee must be married.
• A female employee must be married, or, if unmarried, must hold a paternal authority order (OPP).
• The child must be one of the following: born to the married employee; from a previous marriage where the other parent has died (officially recorded) or divorce has been legally granted, unless the child remained in the first husband's care or he still contributes to their upkeep; legally adopted by the claimant; or born to an unmarried female employee who has sole custody, confirmed by a paternal authority order.

To claim family allowances, the employee must supply:

• An employment certificate from their employer, renewed every six months.
• A marriage certificate.
• A medical certificate for any child under 6 or with a disability, renewed annually.
• A school attendance certificate for any child in school, renewed each school year.
• An attendance certificate and apprenticeship contract for any child in an apprenticeship, renewed annually.
• A paternal authority order (OPP), for unmarried female employees.

Amount: 5,000 F per child per month, paid quarterly in arrears.

Paid to: the mother or legal guardian.

Claim Deadline

Anyone entitled to these family benefits who did not collect them when due has 2 years from the due date to make a claim. After that period, the right to claim lapses.

Navigate employee leave and benefits in the Ivory coast (Côte d’Ivoire) with Africa HR Solutions

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