Paid time off

Paid time off in the Czech Republic entitles employees to a minimum of 20 calendar days of annual leave per year. This statutory entitlement applies to all employees working under an employment contract and represents the baseline vacation allowance that employers must provide. The leave may be taken in blocks or individual days, though employers typically schedule it in consultation with operational needs. Employees accrue this entitlement based on their length of service, and unused leave can carry over to the following year under certain conditions, though employers may restrict carryover to encourage timely use.

The regulation is governed by the Czech Labour Code (Zákoník práce), specifically sections 213–220, which establish minimum leave standards and employee protections. The current 20-day minimum has remained the statutory baseline, though collective agreements or employment contracts may provide more generous terms.

Employers must maintain accurate leave records and ensure employees can exercise their right to paid time off without penalty. Leave requests should be documented, and employers cannot refuse leave arbitrarily or use it as disciplinary action. When employment ends, employees are entitled to compensation for unused accrued leave, calculated at their regular daily wage. Payroll teams must track leave balances carefully, account for public holidays separately from annual leave entitlements, and ensure compliance with notice periods for leave requests as specified in company policy or collective agreements. Failure to provide statutory leave or compensate unused leave upon termination can result in labour inspection penalties and employee claims.