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Timor-Leste

Vacation and Leave Policies

Understand the regulations on vacation and other types of leave in Timor-Leste

Holiday leave

In Timor-Leste, employees who have provided continuous service to the same employer for a year are entitled to 12 working days of paid vacation leave. It's worth noting that Saturdays are counted as working days when calculating vacation leave.

Continuous Service

The entitlement to leave is contingent on uninterrupted employment with the same employer. This implies that to qualify for the full 12 days of vacation leave, an employee must have been continuously employed by the same employer.

Unused Leave

Employees have the option to roll over a portion of their unused leave to the following year. However, it's crucial to remember that accumulated leave cannot surpass 30 days. This means that if an employee has days of unused leave, they can roll them over to the next year, but the total number of leave days cannot exceed 30.

Scheduling

Vacation schedules are typically agreed upon by employers and employees. Employers are generally required to give employees reasonable notice of their vacation schedules. This ensures that both the employer and the employee can adequately plan for the vacation leave.

Public holidays

In Timor-Leste, public holidays are a blend of national and religious observances.

National Holidays

  • New Year's Day: Celebrated on January 1st.
  • Popular Consultation Day: This holiday on August 30th commemorates the 1999 referendum on Independence.
  • All Souls Day: Observed on November 2nd.
  • Proclamation of Independence Day: Celebrated on November 28th.
  • National Heroes Day: This holiday is observed on November 12th.
  • Restoration of Independence Day: Celebrated on May 20th.
  • National Resistance Day: Observed on December 7th.
  • Christmas Day: Celebrated on December 25th.

Religious Holidays

  • Good Friday: The date varies based on the Christian calendar.
  • Easter Sunday: The date varies based on the Christian calendar.
  • Eid al-Fitr: This holiday marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting. The date varies based on the Islamic calendar.
  • Eid al-Adha: Known as the "Feast of Sacrifice", this is a significant Islamic holiday. The date varies based on the Islamic calendar.
  • Assumption of Mary: Celebrated on August 15th.
  • All Saints Day: Observed on November 1st.
  • Day of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception and Timor-Leste Patroness: Celebrated on December 8th.

Types of leave

In Timor-Leste, employees are entitled to various types of leave.

Annual Leave

Employees are entitled to 12 working days of paid annual leave for each year of service. It's important to note that Saturdays are considered working days.

Sick Leave

Employees are entitled to paid sick leave with a medical certificate after completing three months of continuous service. The duration of the sick leave is dependent on the length of service and the severity of the illness.

Maternity Leave

Female employees are entitled to 90 days of paid maternity leave.

Paternity Leave

Male employees are entitled to 5 consecutive working days of paid paternity leave following the birth of their child.

Bereavement Leave

Employees may be entitled to a short period of paid leave upon the death of a family member.

Study Leave

Study leave may be granted for employees to pursue further education or training.

Important Considerations

Some companies may offer enhanced leave provisions beyond the legal minimums. Certain types of leave may also be linked to benefits through the social security system in Timor-Leste.

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