Vacation time is just around the corner: This is what employees need to know!

Vacation time is just around the corner: This is what employees need to know!

Many employees in Germany are facing well-deserved vacation time in the coming weeks. With the start of the summer holidays, interest in the legal framework surrounding holidays increases. Employees are generally not obliged to be available during vacation unless the employment contract explicitly provides for this. This is important information for anyone looking forward to a break and worried about work commitments.

Another note concerns holiday pay. In Germany there is no general right to holiday pay; This payment is a voluntary payment by the employer. You are only entitled to holiday pay if there are corresponding provisions in employment contracts, company agreements or collective agreements. However, if employers pay holiday pay for at least three years, a company practice may become established that requires them to continue these payments.

Rights and obligations during vacation

The event of illness during vacation also deserves special attention. If employees become ill while on vacation, the corresponding vacation days will be credited, provided they can provide a medical certificate. However, it should be noted that not every illness automatically leads to incapacity to work; What is crucial is whether the illness actually prevents you from working.

Employees are entitled to annual leave once a year. If you change employer, only unused vacation days can be claimed from the new employer. In this case, the old employer is obliged to issue a vacation certificate that documents how much vacation has already been taken. Mini-jobbers are also entitled to paid vacation; The statutory minimum vacation is four weeks annually.

Minimum holiday entitlement and specific regulations

The legal framework for vacation in Germany is set out in the Federal Vacation Act (BUrlG). This law aims to protect workers and has been in force since 1963. According to Section 1 BUrlG, employees are entitled to paid vacation. The minimum vacation is 20 days for a 5-day week and 24 days for a 6-day week. A minimum requirement under labor law must not be fallen short of.

Here are some examples for calculating vacation entitlement:

• 5-Tage-Woche: 20 Werktage
• 4-Tage-Woche: 16 Werktage
• 3-Tage-Woche: 12 Werktage

Special regulations apply to young people under the age of 18, which guarantee them more vacation days. Severely disabled employees who have a disability of at least 50% receive an additional five days of vacation. It is also interesting that the full vacation entitlement only exists after six months of employment with the company. However, vacation entitlement can be acquired on a pro-rata basis during the waiting period.

Requests for vacation must be made in writing and approved vacation can only be revoked in special cases. Employers have the right to reject vacation requests for urgent operational reasons. It is important that the vacation should last at least 12 consecutive working days. If the statutory holiday entitlement expires at the end of the year, it can be carried over until March 31 of the following year. Another important point is that employees do not have to be reachable while on vacation.

In summary, vacation law in Germany is thoroughly regulated to protect employees and ensure their need for relaxation. The website offers comprehensive information on these topics Baden's latest news and Career Bible a good foundation.