Definition: Minimum number of paid annual holidays of the empl...

Category: Labour market

This referred to the number of paid annual holidays of the employee, excluding public holidays. It related to the annual total of all normal paid leave-days, including those granted to the employee by reason of age, performance of special duties, seniority and other similar reasons.
When employers paid their employees additional amounts for working during paid vacations, such amounts were usually included in annual earnings and the number of days holiday are reduced accordingly. Since the days holiday worked had already been paid for, not to adjust the total days holiday would be double counting. The actual days leave taken were therefore reported.
Similarly, when employees were offered additional paid time off under working time reduction agreements, this was added to annual holidays. Such amounts were recorded only if the amount of working time reduction is equivalent to five working days or more per year. The following were not regarded as annual-leave days:
 - rest days granted as a result of team-work (because this is already included in the calculation of weekly working hours);
 - public holidays; 
 - training leave; 
 - days granted for personal reasons.