First Regulations for the Domestic Services Sector - Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment (Domestic Workers)

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Mali

Regulations introduced for Zambia’s domestic services sector define minimum wage and employment conditions for protected domestic workers. The policy outlines who qualifies as a domestic worker, sets a minimum monthly wage level (with rules for workers already earning above the minimum), and specifies when salaries must be paid. It also covers normal weekly working hours, overtime and paid-holiday compensation, and eligibility requirements for annual leave.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryForms

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time1 min

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Minimum wages and employment conditions for domestic workers

Who qualifies as a domestic worker

Minimum wage rules and salary payment timing

Working hours, overtime, and paid holidays

Annual leave eligibility and leave conditions

Continue Leave days for domestic workers in zambia The Ministry of Labour and Social Security recently announced in 2011 the new minimum wages and conditions of employment for protected employees. The 2011 statutory instruments numbers 1 and 2 replaced those of the 2006 statutory instruments numbers 56 and 57 for store workers and general applications , respectively. First Regulations for the Domestic Services Sector In this context , and for the first time , the ministry has developed regulations to ad minister wage determination to cover the domestic services sector. Important features of the new instrument include minimum wage , hours of work , separation packages and transportation allowance. According to Labor Minister Austin Liato , domestic workers are among the most exploited and abused workers in the country. Because of the private nature of the workplaces from which they operate , they are usually victims of various forms of injustice , including physical , psychological and sexual abuse. Who is a domestic worker? According to the 2010 Minimum Wage and Conditions of Employment ( Domestic Workers) ordinance , a domestic worker includes: (A) a person caring for a child , an elderly person , a sick person , a f rail person or a person with a disability , in a household; and ( B) a gardener. What is the minimum wage for a domestic worker? The minimum wage for such a worker , excluding any amount paid instead of rations , should not be less than 250 ,000 K per month. However , when , prior to the commencement of this order , a domestic worker was in keeping a wage above the minimum wage , the domestic worker must , on the start date of that order , retain the wage. When should an employee expect his salary? A domestic worker's salary is paid at regular intervals no later than five days after the date on which wages fall as follows: wages will fall from month to month , on the last day of each month , in the case of a monthly paid domestic worker. In the case of a domestic worker who is employed to perform a task or part-time work , wages will decrease at the end of that task or work. What are the working hours? Normal weekly working hours for a domestic worker must not exceed forty-eight hours. What about overtime? An employee who works beyond prescribed hours of work is paid , for each hour of work , at one and a half times the hourly rate of pay of the domestic worker. A worker who works on a paid holiday or a Sunday where a Sunday is not part of the normal working week is paid , for each double the hourly rate of pay for domestic workers. But provided that when a domestic worker is required to work beyond the prescribed period of hours of work , the employer may agree with the domestic worker to pay the employee overtime pay or to grant him leave instead of overtime pay. When is a domestic worker eligible for annual leave? An employer grants a leave if paid in full to a domestic worker for at least two days per month , subject to the following conditions: Except for the termination of the domestic worker's service , the employee is only allowed to leave after six months of continuous service with that employer. Paid Holidays and Sundays should not be included in the calculation of the leave period The employer has the right to give reasonable consideration to the household's requirements and interests when accepting the dates from the date from that leave. Read more Learn more about minimum wages in Zambia. And take our wage survey , you could win a prize! Country snapshotKey considerationsWho questions would you most highlight to someone new to your country? Three main aspects are worth noting: the adoption of Labour Code Act 3/2019 , which came into force on 10 May 2019 , has changed the labour law landscape in Zambia by codifying: certain employment principles that were previously only exemplary practices , such as the probationary period of up to six months and the right to overtime pay for all categories of em

FAQs

Who is considered a domestic worker under Zambia’s ordinance?

A domestic worker includes people caring for a child, an elderly person, a sick or frail person, or a person with a disability in a household, as well as a gardener.

What is the minimum wage for a domestic worker and how is it treated if already higher?

The minimum wage is set at 250,000 K per month, excluding amounts paid instead of rations. If a worker already earns above the minimum before the order, the worker must retain the higher wage when the order starts.

How many hours can a domestic worker work and what are the overtime rules?

Normal weekly working hours must not exceed 48 hours. Work beyond prescribed hours is paid at one and a half times the hourly rate, and work on a paid holiday or applicable Sunday is paid at double the hourly rate, with an option to agree on overtime pay or leave instead.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Mali