Last updated on September 3, 2025.
Paid Time Off (PTO) in Azerbaijan
Vacation Leave Quota
21 days
Regular employees in Azerbaijan are entitled to 21 days of paid vacation.
However, the following categories of workers are entitled to 30 days of paid annual leave:
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Workers in the agricultural sector;
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Government officials in key roles;
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Administrative staff and support personnel, including certain categories of managers
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Methodologists, workshop supervisors, senior supervisors, trainers, librarians, lab technicians, janitors, caretakers, and creative directors at school facilities;
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Personnel doing scientific research (even those without a university education)
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Physicians, intermediate healthcare workers, and pharmacists.
Also, some employees are entitled to additional vacation days according to their job description or specific working conditions.
Seniority-Based Entitlement
2 to 6 additional days
Some employees will be entitled to additional vacation days based on their length of service, as follows:
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For a service duration of 5 to 10 years, they receive an additional 2 days;
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For a service duration of 10 to 15 years, they receive an additional 4 days;
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For a service duration of 16 years or more, they receive an additional 6 days;
Sick Leave in Azerbaijan
Up to 365 days.
Sick leave is somewhat complicated.
Sick leave generally does not have a fixed maximum number of days, depending on the illness type. But, generally, the upper limit is 365 days.
Payout
Compensation for sick leave varies based on factors such as the employee’s length of service for the company, the duration of the illness, and the specific type of illness.
However, the general rule is that:
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The employer pays for the first 14 days.
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From the 15th day on, the employee is paid by Social Security.
Maternity, Paternity, and Adoption or Parental Leave in Azerbaijan
Maternity Leave
126 days (fully paid by the government)
Female employees in Azerbaijan are entitled to 126 days of fully paid maternity leave.
70 days of maternity leave are to be taken before the delivery date and 56 days after the birth of a child. The postnatal leave is extended to 70 additional days for complicated deliveries or multiple births.
Also, female employees working in the industrial sector receive extended maternity leave.
This duration is not among the longest maternity leave policies in the world.
Payout
Maternity leave is paid by the government (Social Security).
Paternity Leave
14 unpaid days
Employees who become fathers are entitled to 14 days of unpaid leave. However, many employers choose to pay employees while on paternity leave.
This provision for unpaid paternity leave is somewhat unusual, as most European leave laws guarantee paid leave for fathers.
Bereavement Leave in Azerbaijan
Bereavement leave is not specified by law.
Jury Duty Leave in Azerbaijan
Jury duty leave is not specified by law.
Military Leave in Azerbaijan
Military leave is not specified by law.
Voting Leave in Azerbaijan
Voting day is a non-working day.
Election day and voting in a referendum are non-working days.
Public Holidays in Azerbaijan
11 non-working holidays
A list of official public holidays that are non-working days:
Date | Holiday |
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January 1 & 2 | New Year |
January 20 | National Mourning Day (aka Martyrs’ Day) |
March 8 | Women’s Day |
March 20 to March 24 (= 5 days) (*) | Novruz Holiday |
Movable due to the Islamic calendar (= 2 days) (*) | Ramazan Bayram (aka Eid al-Fitr) |
May 9 | Victory Day over Fascism |
May 28 | Republic Day (aka Independence Day) |
June 15 | National Salvation Day |
Movable due to the Islamic calendar (= 2 days) (*) | Qurban Bayramı (aka Eid al-Adha) |
June 26 | Armed Forces Day |
November 8 | Victory Day (Zəfər Günü) |
November 9 | State Flag Day |
December 31 | International Solidarity Day of Azerbaijanis |
(*) The definite days of Novruz, Ramadan, and Gurban are announced by public officials annually (typically, it is the end of December).
Sources
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Labor Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan, http://ask.org.az/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Labour-Code-of-the-Republic-of-Azerbaijan.pdf
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Payroll and Benefits Guide Azerbaijan, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/azerbaijan/
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Local Laws & Regulations in Azerbaijan, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/azerbaijan
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Definitive Guide to Hiring in Azerbaijan, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/azerbaijan
Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about laws in various countries.
This material is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For current and accurate guidance, please consult legal counsel in your jurisdiction.