Leave Calculator — Kenya (2026)
Estimate leave accrual, balance, and cash value. Supports common Kenya policies like 21 working days per year and carryover limits.
2026 Rates
Last verified: Today
Assumptions & Notes
Common Kenya leave policy defaults and calculation method.
Accrual & carryover
Cash value
How This Leave Calculator Works
Understanding annual leave entitlement and accrual in Kenya with 2026 policies
Step 1: Enter Employment Dates
Input your employment start date and the date you want to calculate leave as of (typically today). The calculator determines how long you've been employed and calculates leave accrual based on this period.
Step 2: Set Annual Entitlement
Enter your annual leave entitlement (typically 21 working days in Kenya per Employment Act 2007). Some companies offer more days based on seniority or industry standards. The calculator prorates this for partial years.
Step 3: Configure Accrual & Carryover
Choose monthly or daily accrual method. Add any carried-over days from previous years and set carryover limits if your company caps unused leave. Enter days already taken to calculate your current balance.
Step 4: Calculate Cash Value
Enter your gross salary and select daily rate calculation method (÷30 or ÷26 working days). The calculator shows the cash value of your leave balance, useful for encashment or resignation calculations.
Understanding Your Leave Results
What each component means and how leave entitlement works in Kenya
Annual Entitlement
Total leave days you're entitled to per year. Kenya's Employment Act 2007 mandates minimum 21 working days after 12 months continuous service. Your company may offer more. This excludes public holidays and weekends.
Accrued Leave
Leave days you've earned so far based on time worked. Calculated monthly (annual entitlement ÷ 12 × months worked) or daily. New employees accrue leave from day one but may only use it after probation.
Carried Over Days
Unused leave from previous years that you're allowed to carry forward. Many companies cap carryover at 7-14 days. Excess days may lapse unless company policy allows encashment or extended carryover.
Days Taken
Leave days you've already used this year. This includes annual leave, not sick leave or other leave types. Subtract from accrued + carried over to get your current balance.
Leave Balance
Days available for you to take now. Calculated as: accrued + carried over - taken. This is your current leave "bank." Check company policy on minimum notice periods for taking leave.
Cash Value
Monetary value of your leave balance. Calculated as: balance × daily rate. Daily rate is typically gross salary ÷ 30 or ÷ 26 working days. Useful for resignation calculations or leave encashment if allowed.
When to Use This Leave Calculator
Common situations where leave calculations help with planning and compliance
1 Leave Planning
Check how many leave days you have available before booking a vacation. Ensure you have sufficient accrued leave to cover your planned time off. Helps avoid requesting leave you haven't earned yet.
2 Resignation Calculations
When resigning, calculate the cash value of unused leave days. Employers must pay out accrued leave upon termination. Use this to verify your final settlement amount includes correct leave pay.
3 Year-End Planning
Before year-end, check your leave balance to avoid losing days due to carryover caps. Plan to use excess leave or request encashment if company policy allows. Helps maximize your leave benefits.
4 New Employee Onboarding
Calculate when new employees become eligible to take leave. Most companies require 3-6 months probation before leave can be taken, but accrual starts from day one. Track accrual during probation.
5 HR Policy Verification
Verify your employer is calculating leave correctly per Kenya Employment Act. Check if accrual matches policy and carryover limits are applied fairly. Useful for resolving leave disputes.
6 Leave Encashment
Calculate cash value of leave for encashment requests. Some companies allow converting unused leave to cash instead of taking time off. Use this to determine how much you'd receive.
Official Data Sources
Our leave calculations use official 2026 Kenya employment regulations and standards
- Employment Act, 2007 — Section 28 mandates minimum 21 working days annual leave after 12 months continuous service. Leave accrues from employment start date. Employers may offer more days but not less than statutory minimum.
- Leave Accrual — Leave accrues monthly (21 days ÷ 12 = 1.75 days/month) or daily. Pro-rated for partial years. New employees accrue leave during probation but may only take it after probation ends per company policy.
- Carryover Rules — Employment Act doesn't mandate carryover, so it's per company policy. Common practice: allow 7-14 days carryover. Excess days may lapse or be encashed. Check your employment contract for specific terms.
- Leave Pay Calculation — Daily rate = gross salary ÷ working days per month. Common methods: ÷30 (calendar days) or ÷26 (working days). Leave pay = daily rate × leave days. Must be paid before leave starts.
- Resignation & Termination — Upon employment termination, employer must pay out all accrued unused leave. Calculated at employee's current salary rate. This is mandatory per Employment Act regardless of reason for termination.
- Last Verified: . We verify our calculations against Kenya Employment Act 2007 and standard HR practices. All calculations current for 2026.
Real-World Leave Examples (2026)
See comprehensive leave calculations for common employment scenarios in Kenya with 2026 policies
New Employee (6 Months)
Annual Entitlement: 21 days
Months Worked: 6 months
Accrued Leave: 10.5 days
Days Taken: 0 days
Leave Balance: 10.5 days
Available Leave Days
10.5 days
Mid-Year with Carryover
Annual Entitlement: 21 days
Accrued (Q1): 5.25 days
Carried Over: 10 days
Days Taken: 7 days
Leave Balance: 8.25 days
Available Leave Days
8.25 days
Resignation Leave Payout
Gross Salary: KES 150,000
Daily Rate (÷30): KES 5,000
Leave Balance: 15 days
Cash Value: KES 75,000
Leave Payout Amount
KES 75,000
Full Year Accrual
Annual Entitlement: 21 days
Months Worked: 12 months
Accrued Leave: 21 days
Days Taken: 5 days
Leave Balance: 16 days
Available Leave Days
16 days
Leave — FAQs
Short answers about leave accrual and cash value in Kenya.
21 working days is a common policy benchmark. Always follow your contract and company policy which may be higher.
We calculate accrual from the start date to the as‑of date using your selected accrual method (monthly or daily).
Use the policy your HR applies. Common methods are Gross ÷ 30 or Gross ÷ 26.
Yes. We subtract unpaid days from accrual using a proportional daily method.
Enter carried over days, then optionally apply a cap. We apply min(carried, cap) when the cap toggle is on.
This depends on company policy (working days vs calendar days). This tool treats entitlement as working days and accrual as time‑based.
Many policies record leave in half‑day increments. We round to the nearest 0.5 by default.
Encashment depends on HR policy and local law. The cash value shown here is informational.
Entitlement is usually stated in working days. Changing 5 vs 6‑day week affects scheduling but not the annual figure unless your policy says otherwise.
Many firms use calendar year. If your leave year starts on another month, prorate accordingly or contact HR for the precise policy.
Upon resignation or termination, employers must pay out all accrued unused leave at your current salary rate. This is mandatory per Kenya Employment Act 2007 regardless of reason for leaving.
No. Leave payout on termination is a legal requirement. If your employer refuses, you can file a complaint with the Ministry of Labour or pursue legal action. Keep records of your leave balance.
Yes, leave accrues from your first day of employment. However, most companies don't allow you to take leave until after probation (typically 3-6 months). The accrued days remain available after probation.
Notice periods vary by company policy. Common practice is 2-4 weeks notice for planned leave. Emergency leave may require less notice. Check your employment contract or HR policy for specific requirements.
Yes, employers can require employees to take leave, especially if you have excessive unused days. This is common during company shutdowns (e.g., December holidays) or to prevent leave accumulation beyond carryover limits.
If you fall sick during annual leave and provide a medical certificate, those days may be converted to sick leave instead of annual leave. This depends on company policy. Notify HR immediately and provide documentation.
No. Public holidays are separate from annual leave. If a public holiday falls during your leave period, it doesn't count against your leave balance. You're entitled to both annual leave and public holidays.
Some companies allow taking leave in advance (before it's fully accrued), subject to approval. If you resign before accruing the leave you took, the employer may deduct it from your final pay. Check company policy.
Request a leave statement from HR showing accrued, taken, and remaining days. Use this calculator to verify the figures. Keep records of approved leave requests and payslips showing leave deductions.
The 21-day minimum is established in Employment Act 2007 and unlikely to change. However, individual company policies may evolve. We update this calculator if any legislative changes occur. Subscribe for updates.