How many vacation days in Germany by law?

By law, employees in Germany are entitled to a minimum of 20 paid vacation days per year for a five-day work week and 24 days for a six-day work week. This does not include public holidays. 

This legal minimum is stipulated by the Federal Holiday Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz), which ensures that all employees receive at least four weeks of paid leave annually. The calculation is proportional to the number of days worked per week. Therefore, an employee working four days a week would be entitled to a minimum of 16 days of vacation.

While the law sets a clear minimum, it is common practice in Germany for employers to grant more than the statutory requirement. Many employment contracts and collective bargaining agreements provide for 25 to 30 days of paid vacation per year.

The full vacation entitlement is typically earned after an employee has been with a company for six months. For new employees, vacation days are often accrued on a pro-rata basis for each full month of employment.

It is also important to note that any unused vacation days must generally be taken within the calendar year. However, under certain circumstances, such as urgent operational reasons or personal reasons, unused vacation can be carried over into the next year but must be taken by March 31st.

Key Details of Vacation Entitlement:

• Calculation: The number of vacation days is based on the days worked per week, not the number of hours. Part-time employees’ leave is calculated proportionally based on their working days.
• Public Holidays: Germany has 9 national public holidays, and states can have additional ones, leading to a total of 9 to 13 paid public holidays per year, depending on the region. These are granted in addition to the annual vacation leave.
• Probation Period: An employee’s full annual vacation entitlement typically begins after the first six months of employment, which often aligns with the probation period. 

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