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Sick Leaveबिरामी बिदा

Definition

Sick leave is paid leave for illness. Under Nepal's Labour Act 2074 an employee is entitled to twelve days a year at full remuneration, and unused days accumulate up to forty-five.

Also called: birami bida, medical leave Nepal

Key facts

Entitlement
12 days a yearAt full remuneration.
Accumulation
Up to 45 daysUnused days carry forward.
Evidence
Reasonable to requireTypically for longer absences.

The entitlement

Twelve days a year, paid in full. Unused days carry forward and accumulate up to forty-five, which gives an employee a meaningful buffer for a serious illness rather than resetting their protection every Shrawan.

Medical certificates

It is reasonable for a company to require evidence for longer absences, and the policy should state the threshold rather than leaving it to a manager's judgement on the day. Asking for a certificate for a single day is common practice in some companies and disproportionate in most.

What matters more than the threshold is that it is written down and applied the same way to everyone.

Sick leave is not a performance signal

Absence data is worth watching in aggregate, because a team with a spiking absence rate usually has a problem that is not medical. Reading an individual's sick leave usage as a performance indicator is a different thing, and it drives people to work while ill rather than to be well.

Common questions

Sick Leave, answered

Twelve days a year at full remuneration under the Labour Act 2074, with unused days accumulating up to forty-five.

Yes, at full remuneration. This is a change from the older law, under which sick leave was paid at a reduced rate.

Yes, and most policies do for longer absences. The threshold should be stated in the leave policy and applied consistently rather than decided case by case.

Last reviewed 2026-07-29
  • Labour Act 2074, provisions on sick leave and its accumulation.

This page explains general practice in Nepal. It is not legal or tax advice, and statutory figures are revised from time to time. Check the current Act, rule or notice before acting on it.

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