Employment in Zimbabwe

Among people aged 16 and over, QLFS Q2 2025 recorded a labour force of 4,020,125 and 3,186,598 employed people in Zimbabwe. The same release recorded unemployment at 20.7%. Informal employment commonly lacks one or more of an employer pension, paid annual leave, paid sick leave and a written contract, so the practical protection available to a worker can differ sharply between formal and informal work. The Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare (MPSLSW) provides a free public employment service for job-seeker registration, vacancy placement, job canvassing, career guidance, labour-market information and skills development. Its service targets include registration within one hour and placement for a notified vacancy within 24 hours. A private employment agency must register annually, disclose its fees and keep records of qualifications, experience, desired remuneration, employer and proposed start date. Its placement fee may not exceed 5% of the first month's remuneration, and complaints about an agency have a service target of seven days. An employment contract may be written or oral, but the employer must provide written information at engagement. This information covers the employer's identity, duration, probation, applicable employment code, remuneration and its calculation and payment interval, sickness and pregnancy benefits, working hours, bonuses or incentives, vacation leave and pay, and other benefits. Where no duration is stated, the contract is generally unlimited. A casual arrangement lasting more than six weeks within four months is generally treated as an unlimited contract. Fixed-duration, seasonal and specific-service contracts require separate checks because their ending rules differ. A worker under 16 generally may not work, while workers aged 16 or 17 receive special protection and people under 18 may not perform hazardous work. A non-Zimbabwean normally needs a Temporary Employment Permit (TEP) issued through the Department of Immigration. The application uses form IF5 and the employment form and normally includes an application letter, passport, two photographs, a curriculum vitae, contract, certified qualifications, a police clearance issued within six months and employer or company documents. The fee is US$500 plus US$300 for each dependant, and the MPSLSW coordinates foreign recruitment. The service-charter target for a TEP is two weeks. Pay is set by the contract, sector rules, a National Employment Council (NEC), a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) or public-service conditions. Zimbabwe does not have one current wage figure for every sector. Statutory Instrument 186/2024 provides a US$150 monthly fallback for remuneration not otherwise regulated, but it excludes agricultural and domestic workers; current sectoral notices, currency terms, grade, hours, overtime, deductions, leave, transport, housing and pension provisions should be checked separately. Employers withhold Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and pay it to ZIMRA by the tenth day of the following month. For 2026 US-dollar salaries, the PAYE bands start at 0% up to US$100 per month and then rise through 20%, 25%, 30%, 35% and 40%, with a 3% AIDS Levy. Mixed US-dollar and Zimbabwe-dollar salaries require the applicable currency-specific calculation. The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) contribution is normally 4.5% from the employer and 4.5% from the employee on insurable earnings, subject to a ceiling that the NSSA website lists as US$700 and may change quarterly. The employee deduction applies below age 65, and contributions are paid monthly until the employment ends. Workers compensation and accident prevention are separate from NSSA contributions. The Labour Act baseline limits work to 195 hours per month, 90 hours in 14 days or 45 hours per week, with at least 24 hours of weekly rest. Public-holiday leave and pay, sick leave, vacation leave, special leave, maternity leave and nursing breaks apply according to the statutory rules and any more favourable sector or contract terms. Sick leave can reach 90 days on full pay and a further 90 days on half pay with a medical certificate. After the first year, vacation leave accrues at one-twelfth of qualifying service for each month, up to 90 days. Special leave can reach 12 days per calendar year. Maternity leave is 98 days on full pay after at least one year of service, limited to three periods, with paid maternity leave generally available once in 24 months. A nursing employee may receive one hour or two 30-minute breaks each day until the child is six months old. Workers have rights to fair labour standards, health and safety, freedom from forced labour, equal remuneration for work of equal value and protection against discrimination in recruitment, pay, pension, leave, training, promotion, transfer and retrenchment. The protected grounds include race, tribe, origin, political opinion, colour, creed, gender, pregnancy, HIV or AIDS and disability. Workplace violence and harassment are prohibited in the workplace, on commuting routes, during work trips, through information and communication technology and in employer-provided accommodation. Workers may join a trade union and use a workers committee, NEC or CBA where those structures apply. A worker can usually raise a workplace complaint through the employer's employment code, workers committee or trade union and then approach a Labour Officer. Labour Administration handles inspections and dispute resolution, while mediation, conciliation and arbitration may be available. The service charter sets targets of seven days for a complaint and 30 days for dispute resolution. The Labour Court deals with appeals and enforcement. These routes do not replace the need to preserve the contract, payslips, schedules, leave records, notices and correspondence. Employment can end through resignation, retirement, expiry of a fixed term or specific service, retrenchment or another lawful termination process. For an unlimited contract, the usual employee notice is three months after at least two years, two months after one to under two years, one month after six to under twelve months, two weeks after three to under six months and one day below three months. Casual and seasonal work below three months generally has one day's notice. Probation may last up to three months, with two weeks' notice, or one week's notice for casual and seasonal work. After the Labour Amendment Act 2023, an employer generally cannot end an unlimited contract simply by giving notice; a mutual written agreement or verified breach after due inquiry under the applicable employment code is normally required. Fixed-term expiry does not automatically amount to unlawful dismissal, and renewal should not be assumed. Final payment should include wages and benefits up to the termination date, outstanding vacation, notice amounts where due, medical aid and social-security or pension matters. The employer should pay as soon as reasonably practicable; unpaid or delayed amounts may constitute an unfair labour practice. Retrenchment follows a separate process: written notice is given at least 14 days in advance to the workers or employment council, the Retrenchment Board and affected employees. Statutory Instrument 191/2024 sets a minimum package of one month's wage for each year of service, calculated proportionally for part years. The Board's notification certificate has a 14-day target, an insolvency claim requires at least 25% payment plus an application to the NEC or Board, decisions have a 30-day target and an appeal to the Labour Court generally has a 21-day limit.