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Bolivia has a growing economy that offers attractive opportunities for international businesses to expand their business in South America.
Apart from understanding the business scenario in the country, international businesses must know the cultural differences, complicated labor laws, the intricate payroll tax system, and leave policy in Bolivia.
Once new international business organizations overcome these complexities, they can ensure compliance with the country's various rules and regulations, minimize the risks of fines and penalties, and unlock the country's potential for business.
Bolivian Labor Laws offer comprehensive advantages for employees working in different organizations. These benefits provide workers in Bolivia with time off, financial security, and healthcare access. Employees must comply with the laws and regulations to remain in good legal standing.
Explore this guide on Bolivia's leave policy and a list of the various Bolivian holidays.
Earned Leave in Bolivia
The General Labor Law, the Regulatory Decree, and various other labor regulations govern leave entitlements in Bolivia.
Employees receive earned leave, also known as paid leave in the country. The number of annual paid leave days depends on the employee’s length of service in the organization.
- For 1-5 years of service: annual paid leave of 15 working days
- For 5-10 years of service: annual paid leave of 20 working days
- For more than 10 years of service: annual paid leave of 30 working days
These annual paid leaves are offered along with Bolivia's public holidays. There are some important considerations in this regard as well.
An employee with one year of continuous service with an employer is eligible for earned leave in Bolivia. These leaves accrue during the working year. Employers determine the timing of employees' paid leaves, considering company requirements.
As per regulations and leave policy in Bolivia, employees can gather their unused paid leaves up to a maximum limit based on their service years. It is recommended that employees use a part of their paid leaves annually.
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Talk to an expertMaternity Leave in Bolivia
- Maternity Leave is one of the most important leaves included in the leave policy in Bolivia.
- Articles 61, 62, and 63 of Bolivia's General Labor Law provide details on maternity leave in the country.
- All female employees working in Bolivia are entitled to maternity leave. They receive 90 days of paid leave, 45 days before the due date, and 45 days after childbirth.
- The mother's maternity leave payment is 100% of the country's national minimum wage. However, the employer receives almost 90% reimbursement from social security.
Parental Leave in Bolivia
- There is no national leave policy in Bolivia that mentions parental leave. This leave depends on the discretion of the employer to an extent.
- An employee can request parental leave for a maximum of three days with full pay. Parental leave is usually granted in case of serious illnesses or severe accidents involving children under the age of 12.
Paternity Leave in Bolivia
- While maternity leave in Bolivia is for 90 days, paternity leave is only for 3 days. A new father gets 3 days of mandatory paid paternity leave. The leave is applicable only after the child is born.
- To become eligible for this paid paternity leave, the employee must have 120 consecutive days of service in the organization. Any leave after 3 days will be unpaid.
Adoption Leave in Bolivia
- An interesting part of the leave policy in Bolivia is the adoption of leave in the country. This leave spans for 2 months.
- A couple who wants to adopt a child in Bolivia will obtain paid adoption leave up to two months after the adoption. Unlike birth parents, the parents are also protected from dismissal for one complete year from the date of the final adoption.
Public Holidays in Bolivia
There are some mandated Bolivia holidays. These are also termed Bolivia national holidays or Bolivia public holidays. There are around 10-11 such holidays in the country.
Mentioned below are the dates of public holidays celebrated in Bolivia in 2025:
- 1st January - New Year’s Day
- 22nd January - Plurinational State Foundation Day
- 3rd and 4th March - Carnival
- 18th April - Good Friday
- 1st May - Labor Day
- 19th June - Corpus Christi
- 21st June - Aymara New Year
- 6th August - National Day
- 2nd November - All Soul’s Day
- 25th December - Christmas Day
Regional holidays are also celebrated in Bolivia. These holidays are specific to notable cultural events or their founding dates, also referred to as Bolivia cultural holidays. In case a public holiday falls on a weekend in Bolivia, there is a substitute day off the following Monday.
Sick Leave Policy in Bolivia
Articles 51 and 61 of Bolivia's General Labor Law govern the country's sick leave policy. Before discussing the policy, certain important things must be known. The table below lists all details related to sick leave in Bolivia.
Casual Leave in Bolivia
The leave policy in Bolivia does not clearly define ‘casual leave,’ but as mentioned in the above section, casual leave is synonymous with earned leave.
The standard casual paid leave entitlement is 15 days after completing 1 year of service in an organization. It increases to 20 and 30 days after 5 and 10 years of continuous employment.
This is a combination of both casual leave and vacation time for employees. Employees must read their employment contract to understand specific details about their leaves during the employment period.
Unpaid Leave in Bolivia
Unpaid leaves are not mandated by law in Bolivia. However, if necessary, employees can take them without pay. These leaves are regulated by internal company policies (which vary from one company to another) and employment contracts.
If an employee takes unpaid leave in Bolivia, the employer must consent. The employer might ask questions about the reason for the leave and its expected duration.
Another important aspect of unpaid leave in Bolivia is that the employee is not covered by health insurance or social security unless the employer agrees. This is because unpaid leave is outside the regular working hours and payment structure.
Other Leaves in Bolivia
Along with maternity leave, paternity leave, sick leave, adoption leave, and other leaves for celebrations in Bolivia, there are some special leaves that employees can take in the country. However, not all the below-mentioned leaves are included in the leave policy in Bolivia:
- Bereavement Leave in Bolivia
Bereavement leave is not mandated by law in Bolivia. If an employee needs to take such leave, it must be discussed and negotiated with the employer or depend on company policies.
- Marriage Leave
Employees planning to get married in Bolivia are entitled to marriage leave. They are entitled to paid leave for three consecutive working days for their wedding.
- Breastfeeding Leave
Though there is no dedicated leave policy in Bolivia for breastfeeding mothers, there are special breaks during working hours. Nursing mothers can take these breaks to breastfeed their little ones. Some new mothers also opt for unpaid leave to breastfeed their newborns.
Bolivia's leave laws do not specify military leave, jury duty leave, and voting leave.
FAQs
What is the leave permission policy in Bolivia?
Per the standard leave policy in Bolivia, employees can take annual paid leaves depending on their length of service in an organization. The leaves are as follows:
For 1-5 years of service - annual paid leave of 15 working days
For 5-10 years of service - annual paid leave of 20 working days
For more than 10 years of service - annual paid leave of 30 working days
What is the average salary in Bolivia?
As per Salary Explorer, the average annual salary in Bolivia is approximately 102,000 BOB annually or 8,530 BOB per month.
What is Bolivia’s national holiday?
Aymara New Year is considered a national holiday in Bolivia, celebrated on the 21st of June. This day marks the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.
How many public holidays are there in Bolivia?
Currently, there are 10-11 public holidays in Bolivia. There are also additional regional holidays.
What is the most important holiday in Bolivia?
The most important holiday in Bolivia is the Aymara New Year. Along with the biggest celebrations in Bolivia, this day is also a national holiday in the country and is celebrated on the 21st of June.
