Holidays and other leave
There are different types of leave. The most common are holidays and leave of absence.
Holidays
Holidays are a statutory right to time off. It is regulated by the Holiday Act, collective agreements and employment contracts.
- The basic rule is to take four consecutive weeks' holiday in June-August.
- The holiday year is 1 April to 31 March of the following year. The year before is the accrual year. You can agree locally on a different period, for example the same accrual and holiday year.
- Holiday entitlement gives the right to leave, but not always the right to pay during the leave. Holiday that has not been earned is unpaid.
- The Annual Holidays Act gives the right to 25 days' holiday each year. They can be both paid and unpaid.
Do you want to know how to calculate accrued leave? Do you have other questions about holidays? Read more in the collective agreement.
Days off work
Under the collective agreement, we are entitled to certain days off work.
- Day after Ascension Day
- National Day (if 6 June is a Saturday or Sunday, we can take one day's leave in the current calendar year)
- Midsummer Eve
- Christmas Eve
- New Year's Eve
Half days off work (four hours)
- Epiphany
- Maundy Thursday
- Walpurgis Night
- The day before Ascension Day
- The day before All Saints' Day.
Half-day working hours should preferably be before 13:00. If required by the organisation, working hours may be after 13:00.
Leave of absence
Some leaves of absence are regulated by law or collective agreements, among others:
- parental leave
- study leave
You as an employer can also authorise other unpaid leave. It is not a right to take leave but is at the discretion of the employer.
Want to know more about labour laws on leave? Read more on the Parliament's website.
Leave of absence, short paid leave
Leave is generally only for part of the working day.
In special cases, you can grant leave for one or more days.
Examples of reasons for leave are sudden illness or death of a close relative.