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Botswana · Sick leave

Sick Leave Letter in Botswana: Template and 2026 Rules

LeaveDraft Team · Updated 21 October 2026
Sick Leave Letter in Botswana: Application Template for 2026
Quick answer When illness prevents you from working, notify your supervisor promptly and provide the medical evidence required by your workplace. Botswana’s Employment and Labour Relations Act 2025 came into effect on 1 September 2026. Government and parliamentary reporting describes new statutory leave provisions, including 20 working days of paid sick leave in a leave cycle and a separate 20-day hospitalisation-leave provision. Check the exact statutory wording, eligibility and interaction between these categories before treating them as automatically cumulative.

When illness prevents you from working, notify your supervisor promptly and provide the medical evidence required by your workplace. Botswana’s Employment and Labour Relations Act 2025 came into effect on 1 September 2026. Government and parliamentary reporting describes new statutory leave provisions, including 20 working days of paid sick leave in a leave cycle and a separate 20-day hospitalisation-leave provision. Check the exact statutory wording, eligibility and interaction between these categories before treating them as automatically cumulative.

On this page
  1. How many sick days do you get in Botswana?
  2. When is a medical certificate needed?
  3. What to include in a sick leave letter
  4. How to submit the request

How many sick days do you get in Botswana?

Public reporting on the new Act describes 20 working days of paid sick leave in a leave cycle. The Act also introduces a 20-day hospitalisation-leave provision. The applicable conditions, documentation, whether the provisions apply separately in your circumstances, and the pay calculation should be confirmed from the current Act and regulations or with the Department of Labour.

When is a medical certificate needed?

Tell your supervisor as soon as reasonably possible that you are unable to work. Provide a medical certificate or hospital document for the period required by law or employer policy. If you are admitted to hospital, ask the facility for documentation that records the dates of admission and discharge, subject to your privacy and the employer’s lawful requirements.

What to include in a sick leave letter

State the date you are writing, the dates you expect to be absent, a brief description such as “medical reasons” if you do not wish to disclose private details, whether a certificate is attached, and how urgent work can be handed over. Avoid sharing unnecessary medical information.

How to submit the request

Notify your manager using the workplace’s required channel, send the written request to HR if necessary, submit supporting documents securely, and keep copies. If the absence is extended, update your employer about your expected return date when medically appropriate.

Create your leave letter

Fill in the fields, generate a draft, then edit, copy, share or print it.

Frequently asked questions

How many sick days are paid in Botswana?
Government and parliamentary reporting on the Act effective 1 September 2026 describes 20 working days of paid sick leave per leave cycle. Confirm exact conditions in the current legislation.
What is hospitalisation leave?
The new framework has been reported as introducing a 20-day hospitalisation-leave provision. Confirm eligibility and how it interacts with ordinary sick leave.
Do I need a medical certificate?
A certificate may be required by law or workplace policy. Notify your employer promptly and ask which documents are required for the length and type of absence.

Official references and further reading

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Employment rules and administrative procedures may change. Check the current law, your contract and official guidance before relying on a specific entitlement.