If you are planning to work in Germany or are currently employed there, you might be wondering how many weeks of paid vacation you are entitled to. In this article, we will explore the vacation laws in Germany and answer this question for you.
Legal Vacation Entitlement in Germany
In Germany, the legal minimum vacation entitlement for employees is 24 working days per year. This amounts to four weeks of paid vacation per year if you work five days a week. However, some collective bargaining agreements may provide for more vacation days than the legal minimum.
Accrual of Vacation Time
Vacation time is accrued from the moment an employee starts working and is prorated based on the number of months worked during the calendar year. This means that if an employee starts working halfway through a year, they will only be entitled to half of their annual vacation entitlement.
Carrying Over Vacation Time
According to German law, employees must take their full vacation entitlement within one calendar year. If an employee fails to take their full vacation entitlement within this time frame, they forfeit the remaining days.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if an employee is unable to take their full vacation entitlement due to illness or other unavoidable reasons, they may be able to carry over some days into the following year.
Vacation Pay
In addition to paid time off, German employees are also entitled to receive vacation pay. Vacation pay is calculated as a percentage of an employee’s gross salary and depends on their length of service with their employer.
Employees with less than one year of service are entitled to 1/12th of their monthly salary as vacation pay for each month worked. Employees with more than one year of service are entitled to at least 1/12th but often more than that percentage depending on their length of service.
Conclusion
In summary, German employees are entitled to a minimum of 24 working days or four weeks of paid vacation per year. Vacation time is accrued from the start of employment and must be taken within one calendar year.
If an employee is unable to take their full vacation entitlement due to illness or other unavoidable reasons, they may be able to carry over some days into the following year. Additionally, employees are entitled to receive vacation pay which is a percentage of their gross salary and depends on their length of service with their employer.