In the majority of nations, including all industrialised nations except the United States, advances in employee relations have seen the introduction of statutory agreements for minimum employee leave from work—that is the amount of entitlement to paid vacation and public holidays. Companies may offer contractually more time. Companies and the law may also differ as to whether public holidays are counted as part of the minimum leave.

Disparities in national minimums are still subject of debate regarding work-life balance and perceived differences between nations. These numbers usually refer to full-time employment – part-time workers may get a reduced number of days. In most countries, public holidays are paid and usually not considered part of the annual leave. Also, in most countries there are additional paid leave benefits such as parental leave and sick leave that are not listed here.

Methodology For the purpose of comparison, the paid vacation column has been normalised to a five-day workweek. For instance, a calendar month is divided by seven and multiplied by five, while a six-day workweek day is divided by six and multiplied by five. The paid vacation column gives the minimum mandatory vacation days for an employee who has one year of service with the same employer.

In some countries, the public holidays are strictly bound to the calendar dates, so if they happen on Saturday or Sunday, they are "lost" for that year. As a result, the average number of paid extra free days can be lower than the table shows. For example, in the Czech Republic, where the official number of paid public holidays is 13, the average number of public holidays during working days in the years 2000–2016 was only 8.9 days. In other countries, such as the United Kingdom and the United States, the public holidays which would fall on Saturday or Sunday are moved to the nearest Monday or Friday.

Countries

Country Paid vacation days by year (five-day workweek) Paid public holidays (bank holidays) Total paid leave(five-day workweek) Notes201535Employees are entitled to 20 days recreational leave and 15 paid public holidays.281240Employees are entitled to 28 days of annual leave and 12 paid public holidays.301141The paid annual leave is calculated on the basis of 2.5 days per month of work. The total duration of the leave cannot, however, exceed 30 calendar days per year. Every employee is also entitled to 11 paid public holidays.311445Workers are entitled to 31 calendar days of paid leave after one year of employment. Before that, entitlement to leave is 2.5 days for every month worked. One period of leave must last two weeks or more, to allow an uninterrupted rest period. Every employee is also entitled to 14 paid public holidays.221133The annual leave for workers is 22 days, not including weekends, complementary weekly rest days and holidays in this calculation. Every employee is also entitled to 11 paid public holidays.121123The annual leave for an employee who has successfully passed his probationary period is at least one day per month of employment; 12 days per year of work performed. Every employee is also entitled to 11 paid public holidays. 101929 14 calendar days (10 working days, from 6 months to 5 years seniority), 21 calendar days (15 working days, from 5 to 10 years), 28 calendar days (20 working days, from 10 to 20 years) and 35 calendar days (25 working days, from 20 years). Employers can decide unilaterally when the leave days are taken. Every employee is also entitled to 15 paid public holidays and every year the government adds a few more holidays known as "bridge holidays" which means that a holiday last two days.201236Generally, the duration of annual leave is 20 working days. Extended annual leave up to 25 working days is granted to certain categories of employees whose work involves great nervous, emotional and intellectual strain and professional risk. Every employee is also entitled to 12 paid public holidays.201030An employee is entitled to a minimum of 4 weeks of paid annual leave, unless the employee is a shift-worker, in which case they are entitled to a minimum of 5 weeks of paid annual leave. Every employee is also entitled to 10 to 13 paid public holidays depending on the state and territory. Long service leave, which varies by jurisdiction, is also available to long-standing employees.251338Employees with fewer than 25 years of service are entitled to 25 days of annual leave. Employees who have been with the same firm for 25 years or more are entitled to 30 days of annual leave. Every employee is also entitled to 13 paid public holidays.211940 Employees are entitled to a minimum of 21 basic calendar days of annual leave. Skilled employees, experts and senior employees are entitled to 30 basic calendar days of annual leave. Additional 2 days accrue on top of basic vacation every 5 years. Every employee is also entitled to 19 paid public holidays.10102014 days after 1 year employment, 21 days after 7 years of employment. Every employee is also entitled to 10 paid public holidays.301444An employee who has been in the service of an employer for at least one year is entitled to a paid annual leave not less than thirty days, with an average of 2.5 days for each month. Every employee is also entitled to 14 paid public holidays. 101121All workers except tea plantation workers are entitled to 10 days of paid casual leave in each calendar year. An adult worker is entitled to: (a) for shop, commercial or industrial establishment, factory, or road transport service industry workers – one day's paid annual leave per 18 days of work; (b) for tea plantation workers – one day's paid annual leave per 22 days of work; and (c) for newspaper workers – one day's paid annual leave per 11 days of work. Every worker is also entitled to 11 paid public holidays.15–15An employee who completes a year of employment with an employer is entitled to – (a) an annual holiday of not less than 3 weeks where he has been in the employment of that employer for less than 5 years; and (b) an annual holiday of not less than 4 weeks where he has been in the service of that employer for 5 years or more.24933The length of basic annual leave is 24 calendar days. Plus 3 calendar days might be granted in addition for long time employment. Every employee is also entitled to 9 paid public holidays.201030Before 2012, a worker after one year of full employment is entitled to: 24 working days if they work 6 days per week; and 20 working days if they work 5 days per week. This was challenged by the EU. From June 2012, workers are allowed to take holidays in their first year of employment. Workers are also entitled to 10 paid public holidays.141327Every employee is entitled to two weeks paid leave after a year of employment. If employment is terminated after three months but before a year, the employee must be paid average vacation pay. Every employee is also entitled to 13 paid public holidays.241337Unless there are more favorable provisions in collective agreements or employment contracts, the worker acquires the right to leave, to be paid by the employer, at the rate of 2 working days per month of effective service. A working days is every day other than the day of weekly rest period and holidays. Every worker is also entitled to 13 paid public holidays.9–915/20/301126/31/41There are different scales of annual leave depending on the seniority of the worker: workers with from 1 to 5 years of service are entitled to 15 working days; from 5 to 10 years: 20 working days; and from 10 years onwards: 30 working days. Every worker is also entitled to 11 paid public holidays.20–309–1129–41Bosnia and Herzegovina's entities, Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Brčko District, have different work laws.