In Mauritania, labor law mandates that all employees are entitled to paid annual leave. The standard entitlement is calculated at 1.5 working days of leave for every month of service within a company, as per Article 223 of the Labor Code of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

Annual leave accrues over a 12-month period and can be taken once the employee has completed a full year of service. There are also additional annual leave days based on seniority. Employees with 10-15 years of service get 1 additional day, those with 15-20 years of service get 2 additional days, and those with more than 20 years of service get 3 additional days.

Special Considerations

Employees under the age of 18 are entitled to 2 working days of leave per month of service. Non-residents of Mauritania receive 3 working days of leave per month of service. Annual leave can be split into segments if it exceeds 12 days, upon agreement between the employer and employee. One of these segments must be at least 12 consecutive days.

Important Notes

Employers are obligated to grant the legally mandated annual leave to their employees. Specific industry regulations or collective bargaining agreements might provide more favorable leave conditions for certain sectors.

In Mauritania, there are several public holidays celebrated throughout the year. These holidays can be categorized into national holidays, Islamic holidays, and other holidays.

National Holidays

• New Year's Day (January 1st): This day marks the beginning of the Gregorian calendar year.
• Independence Day (November 28th): This day celebrates Mauritania's independence from France in 1960.

Islamic Holidays

Islamic holidays in Mauritania follow the lunar Hijri calendar, and their dates on the Gregorian calendar shift annually.

• Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan): This is a major holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan. It typically involves prayers, feasts, and gift-giving.
• Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice): This holiday commemorates Ibrahim's (Abraham's) willingness to sacrifice his son. Celebrations can last multiple days and involve animal sacrifice, shared meals, and prayer.
• First of Muharram (Islamic New Year): This day marks the beginning of the new year in the Islamic calendar.
• Mawlid an-Nabi (Prophet's Birthday): This day celebrates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. Celebrations may involve prayers, recitations, and gatherings.

Other Holidays

• International Labor Day (May 1st): This day celebrates workers and the labor movement.
• Africa Day (May 25th): This day commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU).

Please note that the exact dates of Islamic holidays may vary slightly due to moon sightings. Additionally, local and regional holidays may also exist.

In Mauritania, employees are entitled to various types of leave after 12 months of continuous service. The minimum accrual rate is 1.5 working days per month of service, which equates to 18 working days of annual leave. This is mandated by the Labor Code of Mauritania, Article 209.

Maternity Leave

Female employees are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave, with 8 weeks mandatory after childbirth. This leave is paid at 100% of the employee's average daily earnings for the three months prior to leave, as per the Labor Code of Mauritania, Article 234.

Sick Leave

The Labor Code does not explicitly mandate paid sick leave, but it may be covered under collective agreements or company policies. Provisions may exist for unpaid sick leave within specific employment contracts or agreements. This is potentially regulated within employer/employee contracts or collective agreements.

Other Types of Leave

While there's no statutory paternity leave, some employers may offer this benefit. Bereavement leave may also be granted at the employer's discretion.

Important Notes

Collective agreements or individual contracts may provide for more generous leave entitlements than the legal minimums. Leave accrual rates may increase with seniority. Employees may be required to provide documentation (such as a medical certificate) to support leave requests.