Nepal Employee Leave Entitlements 2025
All leave types under Labour Act 2074 — days, eligibility conditions, what your employer must give you, and what to do if they refuse.
All Leave Types at a Glance
| Leave Type | Days/Year | Paid? | When Eligible | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Home Leave (घर बिदा) | 13 days (1 per 20 working days) | Yes — full pay | After 1 year of continuous service | Labour Act 2074, S.34 |
| 🤒 Sick Leave (बिरामी बिदा) | 12 days | Yes — full pay | After 1 month of service | Labour Act 2074, S.36 |
| 🎉 Public Holidays (सार्वजनिक बिदा) | 13 days | Yes — full pay | From Day 1 | Labour Act 2074, S.37 |
| 🤰 Maternity Leave (प्रसूति बिदा) | 98 days (60 paid by employer + SSF balance) | Yes — 60 days fully paid | After 180 days of service in that year | Labour Act 2074, S.45 |
| 👨👶 Paternity Leave (पितृत्व बिदा) | 15 days | Yes — full pay | Birth of child (biological or adopted) | Labour Act 2074, S.45 |
| 🕯️ Mourning Leave (शोक बिदा) | 13 days | Yes — full pay | Death of immediate family member | Labour Act 2074, S.38 |
| 🛑 Compensatory Leave | Equal to overtime days worked | Yes | When employer requires work on holiday | Labour Act 2074, S.37 |
Detailed Guide: Each Leave Type
Accrues at the rate of 1 day per 20 working days. At full-time 5-day week, this yields approximately 13 days per year. You choose when to take it — employer can defer but not permanently refuse.
Carry-over: Unused home leave can be accumulated up to 60 days maximum. Balance above 60 days is forfeited.
Encashment: If you leave employment, accrued home leave is paid out in cash at your daily wage rate.
[Source: Labour Act 2074, Section 34]Available after 1 month of continuous service. Employer may require a medical certificate for sick leave of more than 3 consecutive days.
Cannot be accumulated from year to year — unused sick leave lapses.
Salary deduction: Employer cannot deduct salary for sick leave taken within the 12-day entitlement.
[Source: Labour Act 2074, Section 36]Nepal's official public holidays list is published by the Government each fiscal year. The standard list includes 13 days annually. Employer must give these off at full pay.
If required to work on a public holiday: Employer must give an equal compensatory day off within 30 days. If compensatory leave is not given, the day is paid at double rate (2× normal wage).
[Source: Labour Act 2074, Section 37]Mother: 98 days total. 60 days paid by employer; remaining 38 days may be covered by SSF medical scheme (requires 12 months of contributions within previous 18 months). Available for up to 2 children.
Eligibility: Must have completed 180 days of service in the fiscal year. Applies to both biological and adopted children.
Cannot be compelled to resign: Employer cannot terminate a pregnant employee or reduce her pay. Return after maternity leave must be to the same or equivalent post.
Father: 15 days paid leave on birth of child. Must be taken within 6 months of child's birth. Available for up to 2 children.
[Source: Labour Act 2074, Section 45; SSF Operating Procedure 2075]Granted on death of an immediate family member (spouse, child, parent, in-law). Full pay for 13 days. No waiting period — available from Day 1 of employment.
Employer cannot require medical documentation for mourning leave. Employee may need to show relationship proof (citizenship document of deceased).
[Source: Labour Act 2074, Section 38]What Employers CANNOT Do
- Deny maternity leave to a pregnant employee
- Terminate employment because of pregnancy or maternity leave
- Reduce salary during any entitled leave
- Refuse to pay out accrued home leave on termination
- Refuse sick leave within the 12-day entitlement
- Force employee to forfeit home leave before 60-day accumulation cap
- Require employee to work on public holidays without compensatory day or 2× pay
- Make leave conditional on performance reviews or employer discretion
- Deny paternity leave to father of newborn
- Retaliate (demotion, pay cut) for taking entitled leave