Morocco is country located in northwestern Africa, bordered by Algeria and the disputed territory of Western Sahara — since Morocco controls most of Western Sahara, its de-facto southern boundary is with Mauritania.

It has the 5th-largest GDP in Africa, and is considered a middle power in global affairs. Moroccan identity and culture is a vibrant mix of Berber, Arab, and European cultures.

Morocco’s minimum wage is MAD 2,902 per month for employees in the private sector. The standard workweek is 44 hours at a maximum of 10 hours per day.

Overtime work is regulated by employment contracts and collective agreements, and has to be mutually agreed upon by both parties before any overtime work is performed. Overtime must not exceed 250 hours per year, and is paid at between 125%-200% of the regular salary.

Parental Leave

Pregnant employees are entitled to 14 weeks of paid maternity leave, which is normally split into 7 weeks before the due date and 7 weeks after. Fathers can take 3 days of leave in the first month after their child is born.

Sick Leave

Employees are entitled to 4 days of paid sick leave each year. If the sickness lasts more than 4 days, the employee must provide a medical certificate. The employer has a right to request the employee’s resignation if they take more than 180 consecutive days of sick in 1 year.

Paid Leave

There are 12 public holidays in Morocco, and employees can take 18 days of paid time off each year (accrued at 1.5 days per month). The amount of paid time off increases by 1.5 days every 5 years of employment (capped at 30 days per year). Employees can also request leave for marriage, bereavement, surgery, and more.

Process

Employment contracts can be terminated with just cause, such as fraud, negligence, or other work offenses, provided that and prior notice is provided in advance.

Notice Period

Notice periods are dependent on how long the employee has worked at the company, and range from 8 days to 2 months for non-executive staff, and 1 month to 3 months for executive staff.

Severance Pay

Employees who have worked at a company for at least 6 months are entitled to a severance package that is determined by how long they have worked at the company:

• 0-5 years = 96 hours of pay
• 6-10 years = 144 hours of pay
• 11-15 years = 192 hours of pay
• 15+ years = 240 hours of pay

While there is no provision in the law regarding a 13th month salary, it is common for employers to pay a 13th-month bonus and/or seniority bonus each year.