Zimbabwe: A Guideline to Payroll and Employer of Record

Establish your presence globally with Neeyamo as we help you go beyond borders to manage your international payroll and hire new talent in Zimbabwe.

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Overview

Zimbabwe, is a country so linguistically diverse that it made the Guinness Book of World Records for the most official languages at the national level. Though the country has 16 official languages, English is the primary language used throughout the country, the 16 other languages are also widely spoken within the population of Zimbabwe. Apart from the linguistic range shown, the Zimbabwean workforce is also known for their skill and dedication. 

Do your organization’s expansion plans require you to hire employees in Zimbabwe? Do you lack a physical entity in the country – a key requisite to hire local talent? Neeyamo assists organizations worldwide with onboarding and managing employees in Zimbabwe -processing payroll, managing local compliance requirements, benefits, and more.

Tools And Instances

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Global Payroll

Neeyamo’s global payroll solution covering 180+ countries

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Global Work

A tech-based EOR solution to manage your extended workforce

Facts And Stats

Capital

Harare 

Currency

Zimbabwean Dollars (ZWD) 

Official Language

16 Languages

Fiscal Year

1 January - 31 December

Date Format

DD/MM/YYYY

Country Calling Code

+90

Languages

Chewa, Chibarwe, English, Kalanga, Koisan, Tsoa, Nambya, Ndau, Ndebele, Shangani, Shona, Sotho, Tongo,Tswana, Xhosa. But Shona is a Bantu language spoken by roughly 87% of Zimbabweans and is one of Zimbabwe's official languages.

Time Zone

Central Africa Time (UTC +02:00) 

Global Payroll

Overview

Handling payroll for a widespread workforce can pose a significant challenge for any organization, and the added complication of compliance can make things worse. If companies spend more time processing payroll, it directly impacts day-to-day operations and their overall productivity.

What is a payroll system?

Over the years, Neeyamo, an International Payroll Provider, has observed these complexities and strived to provide global payroll solutions through a single technology platform – Neeyamo Payroll. Neeyamo's Global payroll services ease the process for companies looking to outsource their global payroll requirements and aid them in maneuvering the tricky payroll system in Zimbabwe. Neeyamo's payroll software provides the perfect solution for all your global payroll needs – for employees working in primary geographies, the long-tail region, remote or internationally located.

Payroll Taxes

Payroll tax is the percentage amount retained from an employee's salary and paid to the government to invest in the general population's welfare. These are statutory in nature and are levied from both the employer and employee. Additional statutory contributions are made by employers towards aiding both short-term and long-term benefits for their employees.

Employee Taxes

The employee taxes in Zimbabwe are computed as follows: 

  • Social Security - 4.5%  

  • Aids Levy - 3%  

  • Total Employee Cost - 7.5%  

The tax slabs are as follows:

0 - 120,000 ZWD 0%  
120,001 to 360,000 ZWD 0 + 20% for each ZWD above 120,000   
360,001 to 720,000 ZWD 48,000 + 25% for each ZWD above 360,000 
720,001 to 1,440,000 ZWD 138,000 + 30% for each ZWL above 720,000 
1,440,001 to 3,000,000 ZWD 354,000 + 35% for each ZWD above 1,440,000 

Employer Taxes

The employer taxes in Greece are computed as follows: 

  • Social Security – 4.5% 

  • Total Employment Cost – 4.5% 

Payroll Cycle

Overview

Undoubtedly, payroll is a critical process for any organization. Pay cycle in Zimbabwe refers to the period for which an organization pays its employees, and this can vary depending on the pay frequency that the organization chooses to adopt.

Frequency

In Zimbabwe, the payroll frequency is monthly.  

13th Month Cycle

Employees are eligible for the 13th month of pay, in addition to production- and performance-based incentives. 

Global Work

Overview

What is EOR?

An Employer of Record (EOR) service provider helps you eliminate the hassle of handling complexities while onboarding a new employee in an international location. They help bridge the gap that otherwise mandates organizations to have a local registered entity and a local bank account, prior to making a job offer to an international hire.

An EOR service provider acts as a legal employer, facilitates salary payments, and manages other statutory requirements such as health insurance, payroll taxes, and employee benefits ensuring compliance with local tax laws and regulations.

This allows organizations to focus on collaborating with the employee in Zimbabwe for operational tasks, with the knowledge that they have a cost-effective solution support their global payroll & HR requirements, as they continue their global expansion.

HR Mandates and Practices

Minimum Wage

There is no mandatory minimum pay for workers in Zimbabwe. 

Overtime

The minimum overtime rate is 150% of the normal wage rate when workers have to work beyond normal working hours. 

Data Retention Policy

Employers are required to keep tax records for a period of at least six years. 

Hiring and Onboarding Requirements

Hiring

In Zimbabwe, employers are allowed to give hiring preference to certain groups of people, such as:

  • Citizens of Zimbabwe 
  • People with disabilities 
  • Veterans of the Zimbabwe 
  • National Liberation War 
  • People from disadvantaged backgrounds 

Discrimination in hiring is illegal in Zimbabwe. The Constitution of Zimbabwe prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, political affiliation, or any other ground.

Onboarding

There is no specific information available on the documents required for onboarding in Zimbabwe according to labor law, but the following are the most commonly observed documents: 

  1. offer letter 
  2. signing the employment contract 
  3. medical certificates 
  4. National Social Security Authority (NSSA) registration form
  5. Work Permit 
  6. Educational Documents 
  7. CV
  8. Passport Size Photograph

Probation

Probation Period - 3 months; in case of casual work or seasonal work - 1 day.

Leave

Public Holidays

Zimbabwe recognizes 14 public holidays.  

Public holidays in Zimbabwe, paid by the employer and specified yearly, are:  

  • January 1: New Year's Day
  • March 29: Good Friday  
  • March 30: Easter Saturday
  • March 31: Sunday
  • April 1: Monday
  • April 18: Independence Day  
  • May 1: Workers' Day  
  • May 25: Africa Day  
  • August 12: Heroes' Day  
  • August 13: Defense Forces Day  
  • December 22: National Unity Day  
  • December 25: Christmas  
  • Dec. 26: Boxing Day 

Sick Leave

90 days of sick leave are granted with full pay upon request by an employee. They should show you a certificate signed by a registered medical practitioner to gain full pay. 

Maternity Leave

98 days on full pay. A female employee may proceed on maternity leave not earlier than the forty-fifth day and not later than the twenty-first day before the expected delivery date. 

Paternity Leave

There is no paternity leave in Zimbabwe. However, the father of a newborn baby may be able to take up to 12 days of unpaid leave. 

Other Leave

Annual Leave

<>The Labour Act provides paid annual leave on completing one year of service with an employer. An employee is entitled to vacation leave at the rate of one-twelfth (30 calendar days; 22 working days) of his qualifying service in each year of employment unless more favorable provisions are provided in the employment contract or collective agreement. 

 

Termination

Notice Period

Notice of termination of the contract of employment to be given by either party shall be:  

  • Three months in the case of a contract without a limit of time or a contract for two years or more  

  • Two months in the case of a contract for one year or more but less than two years  

  • One month in the case of a contract for six months or more but less than one year  

  • Two weeks in the case of a contract for three months or more but less than six months 

 

Severance Pay

Severance pay is only provided for collective dismissals due to economic reasons or retrenchment, in conformity with the Labour Act. Although the Retrenchment Board determines the severance pay based on the organization's capacity to pay, three months' salary for a year of service is the most common amount. One day in the event of a contract lasting less than three months, casual employment, or seasonal work. 

Visa

Overview

Foreign workers must obtain a work permit to work in Zimbabwe. They must also submit an application and a letter of employment offer. The completed application and fee for the work permit should be submitted to the Department of Immigration.  

Visa Requirements

  • Employment Permit  
  • A passport with a minimum of two blank pages and a minimum validity of six months is required.  
  • Proof of yellow fever vaccination might also be needed 

Employee Background Checks

Legal and Background Checks

Zimbabwe Criminal Records Search

The criminal record search in Zimbabwe is conducted through the local level court based on the jurisdiction of the city provided. This search will report back felony-level convictions in the past seven years.

Education Degree Verification

A subject inflating their educational accomplishments is one of the most common occurrences on a subject's resume or application. CRS checks process Education Verifications by contacting educational institutions directly to verify degrees or certifications earned.

ID Check

A validation and/or verification of the data subject's identity documents. 

Last updated on October 27, 2023

If you have any queries or suggestions, reach out to us at irene.jones@neeyamo.com

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