A workplace accident Morocco employers face is governed by Law no. 18-12 on compensation for workplace accidents: the employee tells the employer the same day or within 48 hours at most, the employer reports the accident to its insurer within 5 days, and the victim receives a daily allowance of two-thirds of their salary during temporary incapacity, then an annuity or lump sum for permanent incapacity. Workplace accident insurance is mandatory for every employer under the CNSS (Caisse nationale de sécurité sociale) scheme: failing that, ACAPS, the insurance regulator, cites a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 DH, and the employer compensates the victim directly. Below are the rules, deadlines, calculation and Labour Code duties. Updated 4 November 2026.
In brief
- Law: Law no. 18-12 (dahir no. 1-14-190 of 29 December 2014), amended in 2025 by Law no. 27-23.
- Insurance: mandatory, taken out with an insurance company, outside the CNSS.
- Employee: informs the employer the same day, 48 hours at most.
- Employer: reports to the insurer within 5 days, with the initial medical certificate.
- Benefits: medical costs covered, daily allowance of two-thirds of salary, annuity or lump sum for permanent incapacity, annuity to dependants in case of death.
- Offer: the insurer makes an offer within 30 days of the recovery or death certificate being filed.
Workplace accident Morocco: deadlines at a glance
| Who | What | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Employee or dependants | Inform the employer | Same day, 48 hours at most (except force majeure) |
| Employer | Report the accident to the insurer, with the initial medical certificate | 5 days |
| Employer (50 or more employees) | Send the safety and hygiene committee’s investigation report to the labour inspector and medical inspector | 15 days (Art. 341 of the Labour Code) |
| Insurer | Make a compensation offer | 30 days after the recovery or death certificate |
| Victim | Challenge the offer with the insurer | 30 days after receipt |
| Victim | Request a review of the annuity if the condition worsens | 5 years after consolidation |
What counts as a workplace accident Morocco law covers?
Law 18-12 covers accidents caused by or in the course of work, whatever the cause. ACAPS specifies that commuting accidents are included:
- at the workplace;
- on the usual route to and from home and the workplace;
- on the route between the workplace and where the employee eats, and between that place and home.
A journey interrupted or diverted for a personal reason, other than the essential needs of daily life or work, loses that status. Interns and domestic workers declared to the CNSS are covered.
Workplace accident insurance: an employer obligation
Compensation for a workplace accident Morocco side does not go through the CNSS but through the insurance the employer takes out with an approved company, based on a named list or CNSS returns. The employer posts a summary of Law 18-12 at the workplace with the insurer’s name and address, and tells the employee in writing, on hiring, which insurer covers them (Article 24 of the Labour Code). Hiring steps are on our page on employee registration in Morocco.
Reporting a workplace accident Morocco: the procedure
- First aid and initial medical certificate: the victim sees a doctor, who describes the injuries and the likely length of incapacity. The victim chooses the doctor freely.
- Informing the employer: the same day or within 48 hours, by the victim or, if they cannot, by relatives (Article 14 of Law 18-12).
- Report to the insurer: within 5 days, with a copy of the initial medical certificate. Law 27-23 of 2025 replaced references to the regional employment directorate with “the competent administration” for administrative formalities.
- Internal investigation: in companies with at least 50 employees, the safety and hygiene committee (Article 336) runs a two-member investigation (Article 340) and the employer sends the report to the labour inspector and medical inspector within 15 days (Article 341).
- Medical follow-up: the victim attends appointments with the doctor appointed by the employer or insurer; refusing can mean losing the daily allowance.
- Recovery or consolidation certificate: it starts the 30-day period within which the insurer makes its offer.
Professional guides state that failure to report is punishable by a fine: check the amount in the law before quoting it in an internal note.
Compensation for a workplace accident Morocco
Medical costs
The insurer (or an uninsured employer) covers medical and surgical care, medicines, tests, hospital stays and prostheses. Mandatory health insurance (AMO) does not normally cover the consequences of a workplace accident: see our AMO health insurance page.
Daily allowance during temporary incapacity
Throughout temporary incapacity, the victim receives a daily allowance equal to two-thirds of their daily wage, from the day after the accident. The reference salary is the annual salary received in the twelve months before the accident, and cannot be lower than the minimum wage (17.92 DH an hour in 2026, see minimum wage Morocco 2026).
Annuity or lump sum for permanent incapacity
After consolidation, a permanent incapacity rate is set using the official scale. Low rates give rise to a lump sum, higher rates to a life annuity based on the annual reference salary. In case of death, an annuity is paid to dependants (spouse, children, dependent ascendants) according to percentages set by law.
Mandatory conciliation before court
Law 18-12 made conciliation mandatory. If the victim accepts the offer, a conciliation report is signed: it is final, unless the amounts fall below the legal minimum. If they refuse it, they bring the case before the court of first instance, stating why.
Workplace accident Morocco example: a 20-day absence
Take, as an illustration, a warehouse worker earning 6,000 DH gross a month for more than a year, injured in a fall while unloading a truck. He tells his team leader the same day; the employer reports the accident to the insurer two days later. The doctor prescribes 20 days off work.
- Annual reference salary: 6,000 × 12 = 72,000 DH.
- Daily wage, taking here annual salary divided by 365: 197.26 DH.
- Daily allowance: 197.26 × 2/3 = 131.51 DH a day.
- For 20 days: about 2,630.14 DH, paid by the insurer, plus coverage of medical care.
The exact method for the daily wage is set by the law and the insurance contract: have the figure confirmed by the insurer. In payroll, the month’s salary is reduced for the days off, and the contract is suspended during temporary incapacity (Article 32 of the Labour Code).
Workplace accident Morocco: what the Labour Code changes in payroll
- Contract suspension: temporary incapacity suspends the contract without ending it (Article 32).
- Length of service: the incapacity period counts as actual work for the seniority bonus (Article 352) and for severance pay (Article 54).
- Paid leave: annual leave is postponed until consolidation, and the daily allowance is not counted in leave pay (Article 265). Details on our page on leave management in Morocco.
- End of contract after consolidation: leave pay in lieu is paid with the last daily allowance (Article 266).
- Prevention: the employer takes every measure to protect employees’ safety and health (Article 24).
An HRIS keeps a record of each absence, handles the suspension in payroll and flags deadlines. That is what Socium’s HR and payroll software for Morocco does. Simulate the effect of an absence on net pay with our simulators and find the other rules in our payroll Morocco guide and our guide to the Morocco labour code.
Workplace accident Morocco: frequently asked questions
What is the deadline to report a workplace accident in Morocco?
The employee informs the employer the same day or within 48 hours at most; the employer reports the accident to its insurer within 5 days.
Is workplace accident Morocco insurance mandatory?
Yes, for every employer under the CNSS scheme. ACAPS cites a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 DH for having no insurance.
How much does an employee on accident leave receive?
A daily allowance of two-thirds of their daily wage, from the day after the accident, plus coverage of medical care.
Does the CNSS pay for a workplace accident Morocco?
No. Compensation is paid by the employer’s insurer, or by the employer if uninsured.
Is a commuting accident a workplace accident?
Yes, on the usual route between home, work and the place where meals are taken, unless diverted for a personal reason.
What if the insurer’s offer is too low?
Challenge it with the insurer within 30 days, then, failing agreement, go to the court of first instance.
Can an employee on workplace accident leave be dismissed?
The contract is suspended during temporary incapacity (Article 32) and the accident is not a valid ground under Article 35: a dismissal based on the absence itself risks being ruled unfair, with damages of one and a half months’ salary per year of service, capped at 36 months (Article 41).
What did Law 27-23 change?
Promulgated by dahir no. 1-25-03 and published in 2025, it gives the social protection powers linked to workplace accidents to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and replaces references to employment directorates with “the competent administration”.
Key takeaways
- A workplace accident Morocco must be reported fast: 48 hours for the employee, 5 days for the employer.
- Insurance is mandatory and covers care, daily allowance, annuity or lump sum.
- Temporary incapacity suspends the contract and counts towards length of service.
- For details, see the ACAPS guide to workplace accident insurance (in French).
To track absences, reports and payroll in one place, book a Socium demo.
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