SOURCE: Vacation Tracker TITLE: Czech Republic (Czechia) Leave Laws & Holidays URL: https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws/europe/czech-republic/ LANG: en PUBLISHED: 2022-10-11 UPDATED: 2022-10-11 SUMMARY: Czech Republic Leave Laws - Paid Time Off, Annual Leave, Vacation, Sick Leave, Maternity Leave, Paternity, Bereavement Leave, and Holidays # Czech Republic (Czechia) Leave Laws & Holidays Last updated on April 2, 2026. ## Paid Time Off (PTO) in Czechia ### Vacation (Annual Leave) Quota 20 days Full-time employees in the Czech Republic are entitled to at least 20 days of fully paid vacation. Employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement may be entitled to more vacation days. Also, certain professions, like teachers, can have up to 8 weeks of annual leave. Employees who work part-time have fewer vacation days, and it depends on how many working hours they have per month. To be eligible for vacation entitlement, employees must have worked for at least 60 days in the company. All full-time employees are allowed to take 2 consecutive weeks of annual leave. Many companies give 5 weeks as a standard entitlement. ### Carry Over Allowed. Employees are encouraged to take their earned leave within the given year. Still, there is an option to allow employees to transfer a part of their unused vacation days to the subsequent year. Requests for leave carryover should be submitted in written form and provided to the employer in advance. ## Sick Leave in Czechia Up to 74 days When ill, employees in Slovakia are entitled to up to 74 days of partially paid sick leave. This leave can be extended up to a maximum of 380 calendar days in the case of some severe diseases. Employers are required to compensate employees for the initial 14 days of leave. Employees begin receiving social security benefits on the 15th day. An employer must maintain records with medical certificates from sick employees. All necessary documents and reports must be sent to the government (social security system). Payout of Sick Leave Who pays sick leave, and the exact rate depends on the duration of the absence: - The employer will pay for leave from the first day up to 14 days at a rate of 60% of regular income. - The government pays leave (a social security benefit) at a rate of 66% of regular income from the 15th day to the 44th day. - The government also pays leave from the 45th day up to the 74th day (as a social security benefit) at a rate of 72% of regular income. ###### Family Care Leave Employees have the right to take caregiver’s leave for the purpose of caring for immediate family members who are sick and require help. This leave is unpaid, and its duration is not explicitly defined. ## Maternity and Paternity Leave ### Maternity Leave in Czechia 28 weeks of partially paid leave When pregnant, women in the Czech Republic are entitled to 28 weeks of partially paid maternity leave. In cases of multiple births, leave is extended up to 37 weeks. Maternity leave may begin at 8 weeks and onwards from delivery; however, this absence must begin at the latest 6 weeks before the due date. To be eligible for this leave and maternity benefits, an employee must have contributed to social security insurance for 270 calendar days or more. An employee on maternity leave has job protection starting from the start of their absence and up to 1 full year after the end of their leave. Payout Maternity benefits are paid by the government at a rate of 70% of the standard salary. ### Paternity Leave in Czechia 2 weeks Paternity leave lasts for 2 weeks (14 calendar days) and is meant for caring for the newborn. The father may select the start date for paternity leave. An employee qualifies for paternity leave if he is listed as the father on the child’s birth certificate. The status of an employee on paternity leave is job-protected. Payout Paternity allowance is paid by the government, the same as maternity leave, at a rate of 70% of the standard salary. To be eligible for paternity benefits (paternity allowance), an employee must have contributed to social security insurance for at least 3 months before the leave. To receive the paternity benefits, the father must take his paternity leave within 6 weeks of the child’s birth or the date the child was adopted. ### Parental Leave in Czechia May be taken until the child is 3 years old Either parent may take parental leave following the closing of maternity leave, which may last until the child is 3 years old (or a maximum of 4 years; only with the approval of an employer). Payout Parents receive a combined parental benefit (allowance) for the whole duration of this leave, without limits on its length. ## Bereavement Leave in Czechia 3 days Employees in the Czech Republic are entitled to 3 days of paid bereavement leave in the unfortunate event of the death of a close family member. ## Jury Duty Leave in Czechia Required by law Employers must offer employees leave to respond to a subpoena or fulfill court-related responsibilities, such as participating as plaintiffs or defendants in legal proceedings, serving as jurors, or appearing as witnesses in court. To be eligible for this leave, an employee must provide their employer with a copy of the official jury service call (including the time, date, and court) as proof of this legal obligation. Payout Jury duty leave may be either paid or unpaid, depending on the company policy. ## Military Leave in Czechia Required by law. In Czechia, employees are entitled to leave for military training. As service is not mandatory, this right applies specifically to those who participate as military volunteers. Payout Military leave is paid by military administration. ## Voting Leave in Czechia Required by law. The elections typically provide enough time for employees to vote during their time off. If this is not the case and, an employee must work during the entire election period, their employer must allow them leave to vote. Payout Voting leave is unpaid. ## Public Holidays in Czechia 13 public holidays There are 13 legal public holidays in Czech Republic. Employees are entitled to receive their standard wages on a public holiday. If an employee works on a public holiday, they are entitled to either time in lieu equivalent to the hours worked, premium pay typically one and one-half times (150%) or two times of the regular rate. Public holidays that occur during the weekend are generally not observed. ###### A complete list of official holidays celebrated in Czech Republic: Date Holiday January 1 New Year The Friday before Easter Sunday Good Friday The day after Easter Sunday Easter Monday May 1 Labor Day May 8 Liberation Day (aka Victory Day) July 5 St. Cyril and St. Methodius Day July 6 Jan Hus Day September 28 Statehood Day October 28 Independence Day November 17 Freedom and Democracy Day December 24 (*) Christmas Eve December 25 Christmas Day December 26 Second day of Christmas (*) - Christmas Eve is observed during the evening of December 24. ## Sources - Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/czech-republic (https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/czech-republic) - Payroll and Benefits Guide Czech Republic, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/czech-republic/ (https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/czech-republic/) - Definitive Guide to Hiring in Czech Republic, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/czech-republic (https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/czech-republic) To learn more about laws in various countries, check out our Leave Laws (https://vacationtracker.io/leave-laws) page.