Paid time off

Paid Time Off in Egypt

Under Egyptian labour law, a worker who has completed one full year of service is entitled to 21 days of paid leave annually. This entitlement applies to employees in the private sector and covers vacation time that must be taken with full salary maintained. The 21-day minimum represents the statutory floor; employers may offer more generous leave policies, but cannot reduce this amount.

The regulation is codified in Egypt's Labour Law for the Private Sector (قانون العمل المصري للقطاع الخاص). The law distinguishes between different categories of leave, with annual paid leave being the primary entitlement once the one-year service threshold is met. Employees in their first year of employment do not accrue the full 21-day entitlement; the right vests only after 12 consecutive months of service.

Leave must generally be scheduled by mutual agreement between employer and employee, though employers retain discretion to determine timing within operational constraints. Unused leave cannot typically be forfeited; Egyptian law generally requires that accrued leave be taken or, in limited circumstances, compensated if employment terminates.

Payroll teams administering Egyptian employment must track service dates precisely to determine when the 21-day entitlement activates. Leave records should be maintained systematically, and salary calculations during leave periods must reflect the employee's full ordinary wage. Employers should establish clear leave policies aligned with statutory minimums and communicate accrual schedules to staff to avoid disputes over entitlements and ensure compliance with labour inspectorate requirements.