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Tanzania Employment Contract Template

Free Tanzania-compliant employment contract template under Employment & Labour Relations Act, Cap. 366.

Click any field to edit · this is a template, have a Tanzanian advocate review before signing

Contract of Employment

This Contract of Employment is made on [DATE] under the Employment & Labour Relations Act, Cap. 366 of the Laws of Tanzania.

Parties

Employer
YOUR BUSINESS LIMITED · TIN: 123-456-789 · P.O. Box 12345, Dar es Salaam · (the "Employer")
Employee
[FULL NAME] · NIDA: 0000-0000-0000-0000 · TIN: 000-000-000 · of P.O. Box [—], Dar es Salaam · (the "Employee")

WHEREAS the Employer wishes to engage the services of the Employee, and the Employee has agreed to provide such services on the terms set out below.

NOW THEREFORE the parties agree as follows:

1. POSITION AND DUTIES

The Employee shall serve as [JOB TITLE] reporting to [LINE MANAGER]. The Employee shall perform the duties listed in the Job Description annexed and any other reasonable duties assigned by the Employer.

2. COMMENCEMENT AND PROBATION

Employment commences on [DATE] and shall be subject to a probation period of six (6) months. During probation, either party may terminate this contract on seven (7) days written notice.

3. HOURS OF WORK

Normal working hours shall be 45 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00 with one hour for lunch. The Employee may be required to work overtime, which shall be compensated under the Wage Order.

4. REMUNERATION

The Employer shall pay the Employee a gross monthly salary of TZS [AMOUNT] payable on or before the [—] of each calendar month, less statutory deductions (PAYE, NSSF, NHIF). Allowances payable in addition: [LIST].

5. LEAVE

The Employee shall be entitled to twenty-eight (28) consecutive days of paid annual leave per leave cycle, sick leave under the Act, and paid public holidays. Maternity / paternity leave applies in accordance with the Act.

6. CONFIDENTIALITY

The Employee shall not, during or after employment, disclose to any third party any confidential information of the Employer, including but not limited to client lists, pricing, strategies, source code, and trade secrets.

7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All intellectual property created by the Employee in the course of employment shall vest in the Employer. The Employee assigns all such rights and shall execute any documents required.

8. TERMINATION

Either party may terminate this contract by giving 28 days written notice (or pay in lieu) after probation. The Employer may terminate summarily for gross misconduct in accordance with the Code of Good Practice.

9. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Any dispute shall first be referred to internal grievance procedures, then to the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration (CMA) and the Labour Court as required by the Act.

10. GOVERNING LAW

This contract shall be governed by the laws of the United Republic of Tanzania.

EMPLOYER (Signature · Name · Date)
EMPLOYEE (Signature · Name · Date)
WITNESS (Signature · Name · Date)
This template follows ELRA Cap. 366 best practice. It is general guidance, not legal advice — please have a Tanzanian advocate review before signing.

Employment contracts in Tanzania — what the law requires

The Employment & Labour Relations Act, Cap. 366 requires every employer to provide a written statement of particulars to each employee within seven days of starting work. This can be a full contract or a short letter — but either way, certain information is mandatory.

Mandatory contents

  • Employer name, address, registration number.
  • Employee name and start date.
  • Job title and brief description of duties.
  • Place of work.
  • Hours of work and rest periods.
  • Remuneration (gross), pay frequency, deductions.
  • Leave entitlements.
  • Notice period.
  • Disciplinary and grievance procedures.

Probation period

Standard probation is 6 months. During probation, either side may terminate on 7 days notice (or pay in lieu) without the full statutory procedure. After probation, full ELRA termination procedure applies — including notice (28 days minimum) and just cause.

Termination — the just cause + fair procedure test

Tanzania's labour law is employee-protective. Termination without just cause and fair procedure is "unfair termination" — the CMA can order reinstatement plus 12 months compensation. Always:

  1. Have a documented reason (misconduct, capacity, operational requirements).
  2. Hold a disciplinary hearing with the employee allowed to be heard and represented.
  3. Give written reasons for the decision.
  4. Provide statutory notice + accrued leave + severance where applicable.

Statutory deductions to budget for

On top of gross salary, the employer pays NSSF 10%, NHIF 3%, SDL 3.5%, WCF 0.5% — see the Full Payroll Calculator. The employee pays PAYE (graduated), NSSF 10%, NHIF 3% — see the PAYE Calculator.

Pair with the NDA Template for confidentiality and the Termination Letter at the end of service.

Take this further

A signed contract is the start of an obligation, not the end of one — leave accrual, notice periods, probation dates and statutory deductions all follow from it. Tawala HR & Payroll keeps the contract, its dates and its payroll consequences in one employee record.

Not sure which module fits? Compare every option under Tawala solutions, or find the setup for your sector under Tawala by industry.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Tanzania Employment Contract Template free?
Yes. Every Tawala tool is free to use, requires no signup, and runs entirely in your browser. We do not log or store any value you enter.
Are the figures up to date for 2026?
Yes. We track changes to TRA rates, statutory contributions and sector tariffs and update affected tools the same week any change is gazetted.
Can I use this on mobile?
Yes — every tool is mobile-friendly and works on any phone with a browser. No app install required.
Where do the formulas come from?
Each calculator is built from primary sources: TRA Acts and Practice Notes, NSSF Act regulations, NHIF tariffs, BoT rates and ministry gazettes. We add a citation and date stamp at the foot of each tool.

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