Statutory holidays (leave days)

Anyone who worked a full year last year is entitled to four weeks of statutory holidays this year: 20 days in a five-day week. If you worked only part of last year, you accrue roughly 2 days per month worked.

How do you accrue leave days?

This year's rights follow from last year's performance (the holiday service year). Rule of thumb in a five-day week: 2 days per month worked, up to 20. Equated periods such as illness with guaranteed pay, maternity leave and temporary unemployment largely count. Part-time work gives rights in proportion to your schedule. On top of the statutory days often come working-time-reduction days (for example with a 40-hour week), sector seniority days and collectively fixed extra days.

Starter or recently changed jobs?

If you did not work (fully) last year, supplementary holidays (the former European leave) still let you take time off: those days are advanced against your future double holiday pay. School leavers under 25 who work at least a month at the end of the year are entitled to youth holidays with a benefit. If you change employers as a white-collar worker, your new employer settles the days your old one already paid through the departure holiday pay.

Taking and expiry

Leave is taken in consultation; the main holiday is often planned collectively or per department (think of the collective construction leave and the summer stop in many factories). Statutory days must in principle be taken within the calendar year; since 2024, days you could not take due to illness or maternity can be carried over up to 24 months. Also check your holiday pay: it belongs with these days.