Annual paid leave is the yearly rest an employee earns after at least one year of service. Its length depends on seniority: at least 14 days for 1–5 years, at least 20 days for 5–15 years, and at least 26 days for 15 years or more. For employees under 18 and over 50, it cannot be under 20 days.
This content is for general information only and is not binding legal advice. Consult a professional for your specific situation.
Who qualifies for annual leave, and when?
To earn annual paid leave, the employee must have worked at the workplace for at least one year, including the probation period. No statutory annual-leave right arises before that first year is complete. The period restarts for each year, counted from the employee's start date.
Leave entitlement is calculated by combining the time the employee has spent at the same employer's different workplaces. Part-time and on-call employees also earn annual leave once they complete a year.
Annual leave by seniority
The law tiers leave by the employee's seniority. The figures below are minimum rights:
| Length of service (seniority) | Minimum annual leave |
|---|---|
| 1 to 5 years (5 included) | 14 days |
| More than 5, less than 15 years | 20 days |
| 15 years or more | 26 days |
These are counted as leave days across the calendar, not working days; weekly rest, national holidays and public holidays that fall within the leave period do not count against it and are added to the leave.
Employees under 18 and over 50
There is a separate protection for employees younger than 18 and older than 50: their annual leave cannot be less than 20 days, regardless of seniority. So a young or older employee earns 20 days even with just one year of service.
How annual leave is used
As a rule, annual leave is granted without splitting. However, by agreement between the parties it can be divided into parts — in which case one part must be at least ten uninterrupted days. The remaining days can be used in shorter blocks.
- The employer sets the leave period, taking the employee's wishes into account.
- If the employee is travelling to another city for leave, they may request up to four days of unpaid leave for the journey, subject to documentation.
- Because the statutory periods are minimums, a longer entitlement can be agreed in the employment contract or a collective agreement.
Pay and carry-over
The wage for the leave period is paid in advance before the leave begins. When the employment contract ends, the wage for any earned but unused annual leave is paid to the employee at the wage rate on the termination date. That is why tracking used and carried-over leave matters for both the employee and the employer.
Track annual leave correctly
Tracking leave balances by hand leads to missed entitlements and calculation errors as seniority changes. An accurate timesheet also covers leave and absence days. ROTA calculates each employee's leave entitlement by seniority and shows used and remaining days in real time — explore ROTA.
Frequently asked questions
An employee becomes entitled to annual paid leave after completing at least one year of service at the workplace, including the probation period. No statutory annual-leave right arises before the first year is complete.
Employees with 1-5 years of service (5 included) get at least 14 days, those with more than 5 and less than 15 years get at least 20 days, and those with 15 years or more get at least 26 days of annual paid leave.
Yes. For employees younger than 18 and older than 50, annual leave cannot be less than 20 days, regardless of their length of service.
Yes. The statutory periods are minimum rights; a longer entitlement can be agreed in the employment contract or a collective agreement.
Annual leave can be split by agreement between the parties, provided one of the parts is at least ten uninterrupted days. The remaining days can be used in shorter blocks.
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