Annual leave
Annual leave is governed by section 45 of the Workers' Rights Act 2019:
- Before 6 months' service: no leave earned yet.
- From month 6 to month 12: 1 day for each full month worked.
- After 12 months: 20 working days a year.
- For every worker: 2 additional days a year (s. 45(2)).
Untaken leave is paid at the end of the period (s. 45(8)), and when the employee leaves.
Sick leave
Section 46 provides 15 days of paid sick leave a year after 12 months' service, and 1 day per month between month 6 and month 12. Unused days can be accumulated up to 90 days. For an absence of more than 3 consecutive days, you may ask for a medical certificate.
Menstrual leave
Since 13 August 2026, section 46A of the WRA gives female workers 1 day of menstrual leave a month, on full pay. This provision is recent: the practical arrangements (evidence, carry-over) are still to be clarified by the authorities.
Vacation specific to household employees
The Domestic Workers (Remuneration) Regulations 2019 (First Schedule, §6) give a household employee up to 30 days' vacation every 5 years of continuous service with the same employer.
Maternity and paternity leave
Since 7 June 2024, maternity leave has been 16 weeks and paternity leave 4 weeks. According to the announcements available, from 1 January 2027 they would rise to 26 weeks for maternity (plus 26 weeks on half pay) and 6 weeks for paternity. Check the text in force at the time of the birth.
Public holidays
A public holiday that falls on a normal working day (other than a Sunday) is paid (WRA, s. 30; DWRR, §3). If your employee works that day, the hours are paid at a higher rate: x2 for the first 8 hours before 10 pm, then x3. Lakazone automatically picks up the public holidays in each pay month.