Leave Policy In Guyana

Earned Leave in Guyana

• Employees in Guyana are entitled to annual paid leave every six or twelve months. 
• Under the Leave with Pay Act in Guyana, the following entitlements are provided

• In the event of termination of employment (either by the employer or the worker), the leave entitlements of individuals are pro-rated and paid in lieu of such a period of leave.

Maternity Leave in Guyana

• According to the National Insurance Act, female employees are entitled to 13 weeks of paid maternity leave in Guyana. 
• Individuals can avail this leave not earlier than six weeks before expected confinement. 
• In some instances, if the employee is unable to resume work due to complications arising from their pregnancy or delivery, the maternity leave can further be extended by 13 weeks.
• During the maternity leave period, the employee is entitled to maternity allowance and grant. However, this is only applicable if the individual is an insured person or whose spouse is an insured person.
• Maternity benefits comprise 70% of the average insurable income. The total maternity grant is $2,000.00.

Parental Leave in Guyana

There are currently no provisions for parental leave in Guyana.

Paternity Leave in Guyana

• The government currently does not mandate paternity leave in Guyana for employees. It is usually left to the discretion of organizations. 
• For example, Scotiabank Guyana recently implemented a paternity leave policy under which male employees can now take four weeks.

Adoption Leave in Guyana

The labor laws of Guyana do not provide any specific provisions for adoption leave.

Public Holidays in Guyana

Employees are entitled to 15 national holidays in Guyana. They are as follows,

Please note that, employees are not usually paid for Guyana holidays not worked. That said, no deductions are made from the salaries of weekly or monthly paid employees.

Sick Leave Policy in Guyana

• Sick leave entitlement in Guyana is not legally mandated for employees. But they can still claim both certified and uncertified sick leaves.
• Under the National Insurance Scheme, workers receive sick leave payments from the third day of their illness-related absence. Additionally, employers are tasked with covering any shortfalls in most collective agreements.
• The government recently updated the sick leave policy in Guyana, specifically for public service employees.
• Under this policy, pensionable individuals in the public service receive 28 days of sick leave in Guyana per year. It can be extended for six more months with full pay if the Secretary of the Public Service Commission approves it. If the employee fails to return to work even then, they shall be entitled to six more months of sick leave, with half salary.
• Sick leave for non-pensionable public service employees receives 14 days of paid time off per year. It can be extended up to six months with full pay and an additional three months with half pay.

Casual leave in Guyana

• There are currently no provisions for casual leave in Guyana.

Unpaid Leave in Guyana

• Unpaid leave refers to time off from work during which employees retain their employment but are not paid. It can be for family emergencies, travel, or other personal matters. 
• The labor laws of Guyana currently do not have any specific provisions related to unpaid leave for employees. 

Other types of leaves

The labor laws of Guyana do not mandate any other paid leaves for employees. However, collective agreements may allow for certain special paid leaves for workers for various reasons. These include bereavement leave, sports leave, trade union education leave, jury service leave, or sabbatical leave.

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FAQs

What are the leave laws in Guyana?

The Leave with Pay Act is the main regulation that highlights the obligations of employers in providing annual paid leave to each of their employees.

What is the leave permission policy in Guyana?

Under the labor laws, each employee is subject to annual paid leave. The duration of this annual leave entitlement in Guyana differs depending on the type of employment and the tenure of service of the worker. For example, daily paid employees in Guyana are subject to one day of paid leave for every 20 days worked.

How many days of leave is standard in Guyana?

Individuals employed weekly, fortnightly, or monthly are entitled to one day of paid leave for every completed month of service. On the other hand, hourly employees receive one day of paid leave for every 160 hours worked.

What is the minimum wage in Guyana?

As of 2025, the minimum wage in Guyana is set at GYD60,147.00 per month.

What are the overtime laws in Guyana?

The normal working hours in Guyana are eight hours per day. Any work performed outside this is considered overtime and needs to be compensated at one and a half times the employee's usual hourly rate.

How much does the average person make in Guyana?

The average salary of an employee in Guyana usually varies depending on various factors, such as their experience level, job role and responsibilities, industry type, and organization. However, it is very important for every employer to be aware of the country's minimum wage requirements when disbursing employee payments.