Leave Laws
Last updated on July 11, 2026.
Paid Time Off (PTO) in the Philippines
Vacation Leave Quota
5 days
In the Philippines, employers are not required to provide standard vacation or sick leave. Instead, they are required to provide service incentive leave.
Service incentive leave (SIL) provides eligible employees with 5 paid days off per year. These 5 days can be used as vacation or sick leave. Employees are entitled to SIL after one year of service for the company.
Even though the number of days legally required isn’t generous, in reality most employers will provide longer leave. The average number of vacation days for employees in the Philippines is around 15 days with pay per year. In fact, because this is standard practice for most employers, people often assume that the number of days required by law is more than 5.
Employers who provide more than 5 vacation days are not required by law to provide SIL. Also, employers with fewer than 10 employees are not required to provide either SIL or vacation leave.
Government employees receive 15 days of vacation leave and 15 days of sick leave each year.
Carry-Over and Payout of Unused Leave
Employees who haven’t used service incentive leave can cash it out at the end of the year. These rules don’t apply to employers who provide longer vacation leave. Since there is no mention of carry-over or converting leave to cash in the Philippines labor law, these rules are up to the employer’s discretion.
Sick Leave in the Philippines
Not required by law, except as part of 5 days of service incentive leave.
Employers in the Philippines are not required by law to provide paid or unpaid sick leave. They are only required to provide 5 days of service incentive leave, which can be used for sick leave (as described above in Paid Time Off (PTO) in the Philippines). Employers can offer additional sick leave benefits that are better than the statutory minimum requirement, and many companies offer 12 to 15 paid sick days.
Payout
Despite the lack of legal requirements for sick leave, insured employees who fall sick can claim 90% of their regular salary when they stay confined in a hospital or elsewhere. To qualify for this benefit, the employee must have made contributions to the Social Security System (SSS) for a minimum of 3 months within the preceding 12 months. This benefit will begin once the employee has used all the paid sick leave provided by the employer. This is entirely paid by the employer, but then the SSS will fully compensate the employer, at 100%.
Maternity and Paternity Leave
Maternity Leave in the Philippines
105 days of leave paid by Social Security.
Female employees are entitled to 105 days of fully paid (100%) maternity leave, regardless of whether the woman gave birth naturally or via cesarean delivery. Female employees can also take an extra 30 days off without pay. Single mothers are entitled to an additional 15 days of maternity leave. This leave is calculated in calendar days, including weekends and holidays.
Additionally, the mother can choose to transfer up to 7 days of leave to the child’s father if she so desires.
All pregnant women working in the private sector, regardless of their marital and employment status, are entitled to maternity leave benefits. According to the law, the employee must have made at least 3 monthly contributions to the Social Security System (SSS) during the 12 months before the semester of her childbirth or miscarriage. The pregnant employee also needs to inform her employer of her anticipated delivery date and submit a maternity leave request, to be eligible for maternity leave.
An employee is eligible for 60 days of paid leave in the event of a miscarriage or emergency termination of pregnancy.
Payout
Female employees must receive full pay during maternity leave. An employer is responsible for covering the salary differential between the complete wages and the cash benefits obtained from the SSS. After receiving satisfactory proof of payment, the Social Security System (SSS) will promptly reimburse the employer the entire amount (100%).
Paternity Leave in the Philippines
7 days
An employee whose wife gave birth is entitled to 7 days of paid paternity leave. As we mentioned above, the employee’s wife (the female employee who gave birth) can transfer 7 days of maternity leave to the father of the child. This way, the father is entitled to 14 days of paternity leave.
Paternity benefits are paid in the same manner as maternity benefits.
Parental Leave for Solo Parents
7 days of paid leave per year.
Employees who are solo parents are entitled to parental leave of not more than 7 working days with full pay per year to perform their parental duties and responsibilities. To be eligible, the employee must have one year of service with the company.
Special Leave Benefit for Women
2 months of paid leave.
All female employees who underwent surgery caused by gynecological disorders and who rendered at least six months of continuous aggregate employment service for the last twelve months prior to surgery are entitled to 2 months of paid special leave (the Magna Carta of Women Act).
Leave for Victims of Violence Against Women and Their Children
10 days of paid leave.
Female employees who have suffered violence are entitled to up to 10 days of paid leave to attend to medical and legal concerns. The use of the 10-day leave shall be at the option of the female employee. In the event that the leave benefit is not availed of, it shall not be convertible into money and shall not be cumulative.
Bereavement Leave in the Philippines
Still not required by law.
Currently, an employer is not required by law to provide leave for employees who have lost a family member. Bereavement leave is not among the mandatory leaves. However, there were several bills proposed which suggested that the period of mandatory bereavement leave should range from 5 to 10 days, and it is only a matter of time before one of them becomes law. Bereavement leave is a matter of the company’s policy, collective bargaining agreement, or employment contract.
Despite all this, most companies already provide employees with 3 days of paid leave in the event of the death of an immediate family member. Some companies may provide longer bereavement leave.
Jury Duty Leave in the Philippines
Not specified by law.
Jury duty leave is not specified by law. There is no jury system in the Philippines and all trials are heard and decided solely by professional judges.
Military Leave in the Philippines
Not specified by law.
In 2022, a bill has been filed suggesting that military reservists should receive 7 days of paid leave to attend military training or activities. As of 2026, the bill had still not been enacted.
However, reservist employees are protected from dismissal and loss of seniority during military training, with reinstatement guaranteed afterward.
Voting Leave in the Philippines
Not specified by law.
However, in 2022, national and local elections were declared a special (non-working) holiday, giving voters enough time to exercise their rights. Those who had to work that day received 30% extra pay.
Philippines Public Holidays
Regular, special, and special working holidays
The Philippines’ holidays consist of regular, special, and special working.
Regular holidays: Employees are having days off while being paid. Employees who work during these holidays get double wages.
Special holidays: Employees are taking days off but are not paid during special holidays. Employees who work are paid 30% extra.
Regular Holidays
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 |
| Eid al-Fitr, aka Eid’l Fitr (The end of Ramadan) | Movable : Shawwal 1 (*) |
| Maundy Thursday | Movable In spring - Three days before Easter Sunday (**) |
| Good Friday | Movable: In spring - Two days before Easter Sunday (**) |
| Day of Valor (Araw ng Kagitingan) | April 9 |
| Labor Day | May 1 |
| Eid al-Adha, aka Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) | Movable: Dhu al-Hijjah 10 (*) |
| Independence Day | June 12 |
| National Heroes Day | Last Monday of August |
| Bonifacio Day | November 30 |
| Christmas Day | December 25 (Wednesday) |
| Rizal Day | December 30 |
(*) - Dates are movable every year according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
(**) - The dates of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Black Saturday, and Easter vary each year according to the Christian Church calendar.
Special (Non-Working) Holidays
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| August 21 | Ninoy Aquino Day |
| November 1 | All Saints’ Day |
| December 8 | Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary |
| December 31 | Last Day of the Year - New Year’s Eve |
Additional Special (Non-Working) Days
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| Movable | Chinese New Year |
| February 25 | EDSA Revolution Anniversary |
| Movable: In spring - One day before Easter Sunday (*) | Black Saturday |
| November 2 | All Souls’ Day |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve |
Sources
- Official Government Page > The Labor Code of the Philippines, https://www.dole.gov.ph/php_assets/uploads/2017/11/LaborCodeofthePhilippines20171.pdf
- DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT – BUREAU OF WORKING CONDITIONS > Handbook on workers’ statutory monetary benefits (Edition 2022), https://library.laborlaw.ph/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/2022.Handbook..Workers.Benefits.pdf
- Payroll and Benefits Guide Philippines, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/philippines/
- Maternity Leave, https://laborlaw.ph/maternity-leave/10898/
- Paternity Leave, https://laborlaw.ph/paternity-leave/10899/
- Solo Parent Leave, https://laborlaw.ph/solo-parent-leave/10900/
- Labor Laws in the Philippines, https://www.globalization-partners.com/globalpedia/philippines-peo/
- Philippine Holidays for 2023 > Official Statement, https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2022/11nov/20221109-PROC-90-FRM.pdf
- Philippine Holidays for 2023 > Official Statement, https://pco.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/20231011-PROC-368-FRM.pdf
To learn more about laws in various countries, check out our Leave Laws page.
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.
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