Holidays and leave in Europe: days, rules and how they are paid

Minimum days by country

Each country sets its own legal minimum, and in practice collective agreements almost always improve on it. These are the starting points:

Calendar or working days: the difference matters

Calendar days count Saturdays and Sundays; working days count only working days. That is why 30 calendar days are in practice equivalent to about 22 working days.

Spain, as a reference, recognises 30 calendar days in the Workers' Statute, a figure similar to that of Andorra or Dubai but very different from France's 25 working days if you do not compare in the same unit.

When they accrue and when they expire

Holidays accrue by working the year and must be taken within the same calendar year. The common rule is that they do not accumulate indefinitely, and they cannot be replaced by money unless the contract ends.

In Portugal, Germany and France the approach is similar: if the employee leaves without taking them, any outstanding days are paid in the final settlement.

How holiday pay works and what it includes

During holidays you receive your normal salary, with no deduction. Some countries also add a bonus: in Portugal there is the subsídio de férias, an extra month's pay, and in Germany Urlaubsgeld is common under collective agreements.

If you have employees in several countries, check which holiday bonuses apply in each one before budgeting the annual payroll.

What to consider before setting your team's holidays

The legal minimum is only the floor: the sector's collective agreement almost always exceeds it. Identify the applicable collective agreement and define your subsidiary's holiday policy in writing from the first contract, including when holidays are approved and whether days can be carried over.

A clear policy from the start avoids arguments in August, when each country also has its own public holidays that add to holiday entitlement.