Holidays

• 1st January – New Year’s Day (National)
• 2nd January – New Year Holiday (National)
• 6th January – Orthodox Christmas Eve (Republika Srpska)
• 7th January – Orthodox Christmas Day (Republika Srpska)
• 9th January – Republic Day (Republika Srpska)
• 14th January – Orthodox New Year (Republika Srpska)
• 4th April – Catholic Easter Sunday (Bosnian Federation)
• 5th April – Catholic Easter Monday (Bosnian Federation)
• 30th April – Orthodox Good Friday (Republika Srpska)
• 1st May – Labour Day (National)
• 2nd May – Orthodox Easter Sunday (Republika Srpska)
• 9th May – Victory Day (Republika Srpska)
• 13th May – Ramadan Bajram (Bosnian Federation)
• 28th June – St. Vitus Day (Republika Srpska)
• 20th July – Kurban Bajram (Bosnian Federation)
• 1st November – All Saint’s Day (Bosnian Federation)
• 21st November – Dayton Agreement Day (Republika Srpska)
• 25th November – Statehood Day (Bosnian Federation)
• 25th December – Catholic Christmas Day (Bosnian Federation)

PTO

• Vacation/Annual Paid Leave

An employee receiving employment for the first time or having intermission of work between two employment exceeding eight days shall be entitled to annual leave after six months of continuous work.

If an employee has not acquired the right to annual leave, he or she will be entitled to use at least one day of the annual leave for each completed month of work.

For each calendar year, the employee is entitled to paid annual leave for the duration of at least 18 working days.

An underage employee is entitled to annual leave for the duration of at least 24 working days.

An employee working on the jobs on which, irrespective of the safety measures, it is not possible to protect him from harmful effects, is entitled to annual leave for the duration of at least 30 working days.

Annual leave may be used in two parts.

• Use-it-or-lose-it policy 

If an employee is using an annual leave in parts, the first part should be used without interruption in the duration of at least 12 working days during a calendar year, and the second part should be used no later than June 30th of the next year.

• PTO payout at the termination

Not specified by law.

Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave, Parental Leave and Stillborn Leave

Maternity Leave

During pregnancy, confinement, and care of the baby, the woman is entitled to maternity leave for the duration of one year without interruption, for twins, third, or any next child, the woman is entitled to maternity leave for the duration of 18 months without interruption.

Based on the finding of the certified medical doctor, the woman may start maternity leave 45 days before birth-giving, and mandatory 28 days before confinement.

If without her fault, based on the findings of the certified medical doctor, the woman fails to use the maternity leave 28 days before confinement, she will be entitled to use those days after confinement.

Exceptionally, the woman, upon her written request, may use shorter maternity leave, but no shorter than 42 days after confinement.

After the expiry of maternity leave, a woman with a baby of up to one year of age is entitled to work half work hours, and for twins, third or each following child she is entitled to work half work hours up to the completion of two years of age of her baby unless the rule of the canton stipulates for extended duration of this right.

Paternity Leave 

An employee is entitled to paid absence from work of up to seven working days in one calendar year – paid leave in the case of wife’s confinement.

Parental Leave 

After the expiry of one year of the baby’s life, one of the parents is entitled to work half work hours up until three years of age of the baby, if the baby, according to the finding of the certified health institution, requires intensified care.

The right can also be used by the adoptive parent or the person taking care of the child, in case of death of both parents, if parents abandon the child or if they are not able to take care of the child.

One of the parents may be absent from work up until the completed three years of age of the baby if this is stipulated in the collective agreement or the rulebook.

One of the parents of a child with serious retardation in development (of a seriously handicapped child) is entitled to work half-full work hours, in case this is a self-sustaining parent or that both parents are employed, provided that the child is not accommodated in a social welfare/health care institution, based on the findings of the competent health care institution.

Stillbirth Leave

If a woman gives birth to a dead baby or if the baby dies before the expiry of maternity leave, she will be entitled to extend maternity leave by such time as, according to the finding of the certified medical doctor, is necessary to rehabilitate from birth giving and the psychical condition caused by the loss of the baby, nor less than 45 days from the confinement or the death of the baby, during which time she will be entitled to the rights deriving from maternity leave.

Sick Leave

Sick Leave

The employer pays salary compensation for the first 42 days of sick leave. After 42 days the employer also pays salary compensation to the worker, but the employer has the right to a refund from the competent health insurance fund.

Jury Duty Leave and Voting Leave (Leave due to Public Interest)

Not specified by law.

Bereavement Leave

Employees are entitled to up to 7 days of paid leave due to a death of a family member.

Military Leave

Not specified by law.

Please consult your local legal counsel to learn more about Bosnia and Herzegovina Leave Laws.

To learn more about laws in various countries, check out our Leave Laws page.