Romania has a comprehensive legal framework governing vacation and leave entitlements for employees. These regulations are designed to ensure a healthy work-life balance and provide employees with necessary time off for rest, personal matters, and family responsibilities. Understanding these policies is crucial for employers operating in Romania to ensure compliance and maintain positive employee relations.
Romanian labor law, primarily governed by the Labor Code, sets out the minimum standards for various types of leave. Collective bargaining agreements and internal company policies may offer more generous provisions, but they cannot fall below the statutory minimums. The following sections detail the key aspects of vacation and leave policies in Romania for 2025.
Annual Vacation Leave
All employees in Romania are entitled to annual vacation leave. The minimum duration of annual leave is 20 working days per year. However, collective labor agreements or individual employment contracts may stipulate a longer period of leave.
- Eligibility: All employees with an individual employment contract are eligible for annual leave, regardless of their position or length of service.
- Duration: The minimum annual leave is 20 working days.
- Granting of Leave: The specific period when employees take their annual leave is typically determined by mutual agreement between the employer and the employee, taking into account the needs of both parties. The employer is required to establish an annual leave schedule.
- Carryover: In exceptional circumstances, if an employee is unable to take their full annual leave entitlement within the calendar year, the remaining days can be carried over to the following year, but no more than one year.
- Compensation: During annual leave, employees receive their regular salary, including any applicable bonuses or allowances. This compensation is paid before the employee commences their leave.
- Termination of Employment: If an employee's employment contract is terminated before they have taken their full annual leave entitlement, they are entitled to financial compensation for the untaken days.
Public Holidays
Romania observes a number of public holidays each year. Employees are generally entitled to paid time off on these days. When a public holiday falls on a weekend, the government may declare a compensatory day off.
Here is a list of public holidays in Romania for 2025:
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year's Day | January 1 & 2 |
| Unification Day | January 24 |
| Orthodox Good Friday | April 18 |
| Orthodox Easter Sunday | April 20 |
| Orthodox Easter Monday | April 21 |
| Labor Day | May 1 |
| Orthodox Whit Sunday | June 8 |
| Orthodox Whit Monday | June 9 |
| Assumption of Mary | August 15 |
| Saint Andrew's Day | November 30 |
| National Day | December 1 |
| Christmas Day | December 25 & 26 |
Sick Leave
Employees in Romania are entitled to sick leave if they are temporarily unable to work due to illness or injury.
- Eligibility: All employees covered by the social security system are eligible for sick leave benefits.
- Duration: The duration of sick leave can vary depending on the nature of the illness, but it is generally granted for the period certified by a medical certificate.
- Compensation: During sick leave, employees receive a sick pay benefit, which is a percentage of their regular salary. The percentage varies depending on the illness.
- Medical Certificate: To be eligible for sick pay, employees must provide their employer with a medical certificate issued by a licensed physician.
- Employer Responsibilities: Employers are responsible for paying sick pay benefits for a certain number of days, after which the benefits are paid by the National Social Insurance House.
The sick pay rates are as follows:
| Condition | Compensation Rate |
|---|---|
| Common Illness | 75% |
| Occupational Accident or Illness | 100% |
| Quarantine | 100% |
Parental Leave
Romanian law provides for various types of parental leave to support employees in caring for their children.
Maternity Leave
- Duration: Maternity leave consists of prenatal leave (before childbirth) and postnatal leave (after childbirth). The total duration of maternity leave is 126 calendar days, which can be divided between the prenatal and postnatal periods as determined by the employee's physician.
- Eligibility: All female employees who have contributed to the social security system are eligible for maternity leave.
- Compensation: During maternity leave, employees receive a maternity benefit, which is 85% of their average gross monthly income from the past 12 months.
- Paternity Leave: Fathers are entitled to 5 working days of paternity leave, which must be taken within the first 8 weeks after the child's birth. This can be extended by an additional 10 working days if the father attends a childcare course.
- Childcare Leave: After maternity leave, either parent is entitled to childcare leave until the child reaches the age of 2 (or 3 in the case of a child with disabilities). During childcare leave, the employee receives a monthly allowance.
Adoption Leave
- Entitlement: Employees who adopt a child are entitled to adoption leave.
- Duration: The duration of adoption leave is up to one year, or two years in the case of a child with disabilities.
- Compensation: During adoption leave, employees receive an allowance similar to the childcare allowance.
Other Types of Leave
In addition to annual leave, public holidays, sick leave, and parental leave, Romanian law and company policies may provide for other types of leave.
- Bereavement Leave: Employees are typically entitled to bereavement leave in the event of the death of a close family member. The duration of bereavement leave is usually specified in the collective labor agreement or internal company policies.
- Study Leave: Employees may be granted study leave to pursue educational or professional development opportunities. The terms and conditions of study leave, including whether it is paid or unpaid, are usually determined by the employer.
- Sabbatical Leave: Some companies may offer sabbatical leave to employees who have been with the company for a certain period of time. Sabbatical leave is typically unpaid and is granted for personal or professional development purposes.
- Marriage Leave: Employees are usually entitled to a few days of paid leave upon getting married.
- Leave for Blood Donation: Employees who donate blood are entitled to a day off from work.
