Vacation Days In Greece
In this article, we shall look into holidays, permissible vacation days, and work leaves in Greece.
Public Holidays
Below are the annual holiday dates in Greece, which are public. Apart from the paid time off, you can enjoy these to your heart’s content!
- The 1st of January – New Year’s Day
- The 6th of January – Epiphany
- The 15th of March – Orthodox Shrove Monday
- The 25th of March – Greek Independence Day
- The 30th of April – Orthodox Good Friday
- The 1st of May – Labour Day
- The 3rd of May – Orthodox Easter Monday
- The 21st of June – Holy Spirit Monday
- The 15th of August – Assumption Day
- The 28th of October – National Anniversary Day
- The 25th of December – Christmas Day
- The 26th of December – Synaxis of the Mother of God
PTO (Paid Time Off)
Vacation/Annual Paid Leave
First calendar year of employment. The company must offer the employee adequate vacation time. In a six-day workweek, the employer must offer the employee two days of vacation for each month of employment (A total of 24 for the entire year). In a five-day workweek, holiday time is computed as twenty days of vacation for the year of employment, with shorter durations rounded up.
Second Calendar Year. After twelve months of employment, holiday time is increased by one day. As a result, by the conclusion of the secondary calendar year, the employee is entitled to 21 days of vacation in a five-day workweek or 25 days of vacation in a six-day workweek.
Third Calendar Year Onwards. Once the third calendar year has begun, the employee is entitled to the complete holiday time at any time of the year, including the 1st of January. After 24 months of service, the employee is entitled to 22 days of vacation in a five-day workweek or 26 days in a six-day workweek.
Holiday time is computed on a 25-day basis for workers who have worked for more than 12 years or more than ten years for the same company and on a 30-day basis for employees who have worked for more than ten years for the same business. After 25 years of service, an additional day of vacation is added, and the employee is entitled to 26 days for a five-day workweek and 31 days for a six-day workweek.
- Rollovers and payout of unused hours
- Use-it-or-lose-it policy Not specified by law.
- PTO payout at the termination
If the employer cancels the job without giving a warning, he must pay the whole indemnity. If the termination occurs with prior notice, the employer is required to pay half of the severance compensation.
Maternity Leave, Child Raising Leave, Parental Leave
Maternity Leave
Female employees are eligible for up to 17 weeks of paid maternity leave (eight weeks before and nine weeks after the delivery).
A mother is shielded against contract termination for the duration of her pregnancy, for 18 months after labor, and for absences due to illness caused by pregnancy or labor. The employment contract can strictly only be terminated for a substantial reason and with heightened formal procedures during this time period.
Mothers may take a special six-month leave during which OAED pays the mother an amount equivalent to the statutory minimum wage, plus a fraction for holiday bonuses and allowances, depending on that amount, on a monthly basis.
Paternity Leave
After a kid is born, fathers are entitled to up to two days of leave.
Surrogacy Leave
Intended surrogate parents are entitled to the same childcare and parenting leave as if they were the child’s genetic parents.
Adoption Leave
Employees are entitled to paid leave to adopt a child under the age of six.
Parental Leave
Parents are entitled to at least four months of unpaid leave for each parent, beginning with the end of maternity leave and continuing until the child reaches the age of six.
Sick Leave
Greece Leave Laws – Sick Leave
Employees are entitled to the following benefits based on the length of their service:
- One month’s leave for employees who have worked for up to four years.
- Employees with four to ten years of service are entitled to three months of paid leave.
- Employees who have worked with their company for more than ten years are entitled to four months of paid leave.
- Employees who have worked for more than 15 years are entitled to six months of paid leave.
Employees are entitled to half of their monthly earnings if the sickness occurs during the first year of employment and to their monthly payment if the sickness occurs after the first year of employment.
Jury Duty Leave And Voting Leave
Employees have the right to one to three days off work to vote. The number of days given is proportional to the distance between the polling station and the place of employment.
Bereavement Leave
Employees are entitled to a maximum of two days of paid leave if a close family member dies.
Military Leave
The law makes no mention of it. To learn more about Greece’s Leave Laws, please contact your local legal counsel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Is A Work Week In Greece?
In 2021, the weekly working hours in Greece were set at 40. Between 2010 and 2021, the indicator decreased by 1.7%. Working hours per week in Greece were highest from 2010 to 2018, at 41 hours, and lowest from 2019 to 2021, at 40 hours.
What Are The Main Holidays In Greece?
New Year’s Day, Epiphany, Clean Monday, Independence Day, Good Friday, Greek Easter Sunday and Monday, Labor Day, Dormition of the Virgin, OXI day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day are the official Greek national holidays. The Day of the Holy Spirit is also a holiday for some businesses.
What Is The Average Workday In Greece?
Full-time workers put in 40 hours per week. These 40 hours, however, can be divided as follows: 8 hours per day, five days per week. Six days a week, for six hours and forty minutes.
What Is The Working Policy In Greece?
After ten years of service with the same employer or twelve years with any employer, the employee is entitled to 25 working days (if he works five days per week) or 30 working days (if he works six days per week) of paid leave.
What Is The Biggest Greek Holiday?
Easter is by far Greece’s most important holiday. With approximately 90% of the Greek Orthodox population, Easter follows the Orthodox calendar, which means it is frequently on a different date than Catholic Easter.
Is It Cheap To Holiday In Greece?
Greece is a very affordable destination in many ways. Many basic goods, for example, are less expensive than in the United States, as is food in supermarkets and many restaurants. In Greece, you can also find a variety of charming yet reasonably-priced accommodations.
What Is Greece Mostly Known For?
Plato, Pythagoras, Socrates, and Aristotle are just a few of Greece’s famous philosophers. It is regarded as the birthplace of Western democracy; they invented the Olympic Games and theatre. The Greeks built monumental temples with Greek columns.
Do Greeks Work On Sunday?
In Greece, where the five-day period has not yet been implemented, the working days of the week are six according to the law. The seventh day, usually Sunday is a required weekly rest day.
What Is The Cheapest Time Of Year To Fly To Greece?
September and October are the cheapest months to fly to Greece, followed by November. When booking a flight in September, you can save up to 13% off the average yearly flight price. May and June are the most expensive months to fly to Greece.