When can I take my summer vacation and what compensation will I receive for that period?

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• Labour law
• Legal assistance
• Salary

Are you already thinking about when and how long your summer vacation will be? See here how your vacation days are accrued and when you can take your vacation. We will also tell you what kind of compensation you will receive during your vacation.

How much vacation can I take in the summer?

Summer vacation is part of your annual leave, which is earned in advance during the vacation determination year (1.4.–31.3.). This means that you have already earned most of your vacation during the previous calendar year. 

• If your employment has lasted for less than one year by the end of the holiday determination year (i.e., 31.3.), you have accrued two vacation days for each full month.
• If your employment has lasted for at least one year by the end of March, you will have accrued 2.5 days of vacation per month.

I recently changed jobs. Does that affect anything?

If you change jobs, your vacation days are not transferred from one employer to another. When your employment relationship ends, you will usually be paid holiday compensation for any unused vacation days. At your new job, you will start accumulating annual leave from scratch.

So if you have recently started your current job, you may not have accumulated any vacation days yet. However, if you are hoping to take a vacation during the summer, feel free to ask your employer or supervisor about the possibility of taking some paid vacation. If possible, it is a good idea to discuss this before signing your employment contract.

You can also ask your employer for unpaid leave. This can be a good option, especially if you have received vacation pay from your previous job.

I work part-time. Do I accrue vacation days?

According to the law, vacation days are accrued for each full vacation determination month. A full vacation determination month is a month during which you have worked at least 14 days.

However, you may work part-time in such a way that you do not accumulate a single month containing 14 working days, or only some of the calendar months contain 14 working days. In these situations, a full holiday accrual month is considered to be a month during which you have worked at least 35 hours.

According to the law, you do not accrue annual leave from part-time work if you work less than 14 days or less than 35 hours per month. In these situations, however, you will accrue two working days of leave for each calendar month during which your employment relationship is valid. In practice, this means that you are entitled to two days off for each month worked, if you so wish.

What about fixed-term employment? Do you accrue vacation days during that period?

As a fixed-term employee, you are entitled to annual leave as usual for the duration of your employment. If your employment relationship continues with the same employer after the fixed term without interruption or with only a short interruption, your employment relationship is considered to have continued uninterrupted when calculating your vacation days.

However, especially in shorter fixed-term contracts, such as summer jobs, holidays are not usually taken. Instead, they are often paid as holiday compensation when the employment relationship ends.

How does sick leave affect the accrual of annual leave? See here

When can I take my summer vacation?

According to the law, your employer can decide when you take your annual leave. However, you can express your opinion on the matter, and your employer must take your wishes into account as far as possible. Your employer must also treat all employees equally.

Once you have accrued a sufficient number of vacation days, you are entitled to take 24 working days of your annual leave during the vacation season, i.e., between 2.5.-30.9. You must take the remaining vacation days (i.e., winter vacation) by the beginning of the next vacation period, i.e., by 1.4.

You have the right to take your summer and winter vacations as one continuous period. Your employer may only divide your annual vacation into several periods if this is necessary for the organization of work. However, even in these situations, you are entitled to take 12 working days (Mon-Sat) of your summer vacation as a single period.

Read more about the timing of the vacation

Will I get paid during my vacation?

Yes, according to the law, you are entitled to pay during your vacation. The amount of vacation pay depends on your working hours and payment method.  During your annual vacation, you will be paid at least your regular or average salary.

According to the law, your vacation pay should be paid to you before the start of your vacation, but in practice it is often paid during your vacation, on the usual payday. You will also receive a separate calculation of your vacation pay. Always check that it is correct!

Read more about accruing vacation pay

What is holiday bonus and am I entitled to it?

The payment of a holiday bonus is based on either a collective agreement, employment contract, or the practice followed at your workplace. This means that, in addition to your holiday pay, you may also be entitled to a holiday bonus. Holiday bonus payments are often conditional on you taking your holiday and returning to work afterwards. For many people, the holiday bonus is 50% of their holiday pay and is paid either at the same time as their holiday pay or after their holiday.

How much is the holiday bonus and can it be exchanged for time off? Read more

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