Managing employee leave and vacation entitlements is a critical aspect of compliance and employee satisfaction when operating in the Czech Republic. The country's labor code provides clear guidelines on various types of leave, ensuring employees receive adequate time off for rest, illness, family responsibilities, and other significant life events. Understanding these regulations is essential for employers to maintain legal compliance and effectively manage their workforce.
Czech labor law mandates specific minimum entitlements for different types of leave, including annual vacation, public holidays, sick leave, and parental leave. These entitlements are designed to protect employee well-being and are non-negotiable minimums that employers must adhere to. While employers can offer more generous leave policies, they cannot provide less than the statutory requirements.
Annual Vacation Leave
The minimum annual vacation entitlement in the Czech Republic is four weeks (20 working days) per calendar year for employees working a standard five-day week. Some sectors, such as public services and education, may have a higher minimum entitlement, often five or eight weeks. Vacation entitlement is calculated based on hours worked, not days, since 2021. The entitlement is based on 40 times the employee's weekly working hours for the minimum four weeks. For example, an employee working 40 hours per week accrues 160 hours of vacation per year (40 hours/week * 4 weeks).
Employees are entitled to a proportional part of their annual leave if their employment starts or ends during the calendar year. Vacation should generally be taken within the calendar year it is accrued. If vacation cannot be taken due to operational reasons or obstacles on the employee's part, it must be carried over to the next calendar year. Untaken vacation from the previous year must be taken by the end of the following year, otherwise, it may be forfeited, unless it was not taken due to maternity or parental leave. During vacation, employees are entitled to compensation equal to their average earnings.
Public Holidays
The Czech Republic observes several public holidays throughout the year. Employees are generally entitled to time off on these days with compensation equal to their average earnings. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, they are typically entitled to premium pay or compensatory time off.
Here are the public holidays observed in the Czech Republic in 2025:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | Restoration Day of the Independent Czech State / New Year's Day |
| April 18 | Good Friday |
| April 21 | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | Labour Day |
| May 8 | Victory Day |
| July 5 | Saints Cyril and Methodius |
| July 6 | Jan Hus Day |
| September 28 | Czech Statehood Day |
| October 28 | Independent Czechoslovak State Day |
| November 17 | Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | St. Stephen's Day |
Sick Leave Policies and Pay
When an employee is temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury, they are entitled to sick leave. The process involves obtaining a medical certificate from a doctor.
- First 14 calendar days: The employer is responsible for paying sick pay from the 4th calendar day of incapacity. For the first 3 calendar days, no sick pay is provided. From the 4th to the 14th calendar day, the employer pays 60% of the employee's reduced average earnings.
- From the 15th calendar day onwards: The responsibility for sick pay shifts to the state social security system. The Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) pays sickness benefits (nemocenská) at a rate of 60% of the reduced daily assessment base. This rate can increase to 66% from the 31st day and 72% from the 61st day of continuous incapacity.
The maximum duration for receiving sickness benefits is generally 380 calendar days.
Parental Leave
Parental leave in the Czech Republic includes maternity leave, paternity leave, and parental leave itself, which can be taken by either parent.
- Maternity Leave: Pregnant employees are entitled to 28 weeks of maternity leave (or 37 weeks for multiple births). This leave usually starts 6-8 weeks before the expected delivery date. During maternity leave, employees receive maternity benefit (peněžitá pomoc v mateřství), which is a state social security benefit calculated based on previous earnings, typically around 70% of the reduced daily assessment base.
- Paternity Leave: Fathers are entitled to 14 calendar days of paternity leave (otcovská dovolená) within the first six weeks after the child's birth. During this leave, they receive a paternity benefit, also a state social security benefit, calculated similarly to maternity benefit.
- Parental Leave: Following maternity leave (or from the child's birth if the mother does not take maternity leave), either parent is entitled to parental leave until the child reaches the age of three. During this period, the family is entitled to a state social support benefit called parental allowance (rodičovský příspěvek). The total amount of parental allowance is fixed per child, and parents can choose how to draw it monthly, affecting the duration of the payments but not the total amount received. The job position must be held open for the employee until the child is three years old.
Adoption leave entitlements are similar to maternity and parental leave, adjusted based on the child's age.
Other Types of Leave
Czech labor law also provides for other types of leave for specific circumstances:
- Bereavement Leave: Employees are entitled to paid time off for funerals of close family members. The duration varies depending on the relationship to the deceased.
- Study Leave: Employees pursuing further education may be granted time off, which can be paid or unpaid depending on the nature of the study and agreement with the employer.
- Leave for Personal Obstacles: The law specifies various personal obstacles to work, such as medical appointments, accompanying a family member to a medical facility, marriage, or moving, for which employees are entitled to paid or unpaid time off according to specific rules.
- Sabbatical Leave: While not a statutory entitlement, some employers may offer sabbatical leave as part of their benefits package, typically for long-serving employees. This is based on company policy rather than legal requirement.
