The contract, in writing, always
You'll walk away knowing: What a valid Namibian employment contract must contain.
The Labour Act 11 of 2007 requires a written contract for every employee. This is not optional. At minimum it must state job title and duties, salary and payment cycle, working hours (statutory maximum 45 hours per week), leave entitlements, and termination terms. Contracts are either indefinite (no end date, the standard form) or fixed-term (a specific period or project). Repeated fixed-term contracts for the same ongoing work can be deemed indefinite by the Labour Court, so fixed-term status is not a loophole around permanent-employee rights.
Leave, in full
You'll walk away knowing: The minimums that apply regardless of what a contract says.
| Leave type | Minimum |
|---|---|
| Annual leave | 24 consecutive days per 12-month cycle (pro-rated to days worked per week) |
| Maternity leave | 12 weeks, paid at 80% via the Social Security Commission |
| Sick leave | Accumulates based on length of employment |
| Public holidays | Paid, per the national calendar |
Annual leave accrues through the first year but cannot be taken until that year completes. Unused leave generally must be used within four months of the cycle's end (extendable to six months by written agreement). An employer cannot let leave balances run indefinitely without a policy governing it.
Pay and overtime
You'll walk away knowing: Where the legal floor actually sits.
Statutory minimum wage sits at roughly N$1,564/month in commonly cited figures. Confirm current gazetted rates before relying on this for payroll, as minimum wage determinations are sector-specific and periodically revised. Overtime may not exceed 10 hours per week or 3 hours per day, and must be agreed, not unilaterally imposed by the employer. It is paid at 1.5 times the basic hourly rate, rising to 2 times for Sundays and public holidays.
Termination: notice and severance
You'll walk away knowing: Why Namibia is not an employment-at-will jurisdiction.
Termination requires a valid, fair reason and a fair procedure. Dismissal without both can be ruled unfair regardless of notice given. Minimum notice periods scale with service:
| Length of service | Minimum notice |
|---|---|
| Under 4 weeks | 1 day |
| 4 weeks to 1 year | 1 week |
| Over 1 year | 1 month |
Severance pay is generally calculated at one week's pay per year of service, and is not payable where dismissal was for a valid reason properly conducted. It applies to termination generally, not as a penalty exclusive to unfair dismissal.
Registration obligations as an employer
Before hiring, an employer must register with the Ministry of Labour, the Social Security Commission (SSC: 0.9% employee and 0.9% employer contribution in commonly cited figures), and NamRA for PAYE. Non-Namibian hires require a work permit through the Ministry of Home Affairs, arranged well in advance.