Paid time off

Colombia's paid time off entitlement guarantees workers a minimum of 15 calendar days of annual paid vacation. This statutory right applies to all employees across the private and public sectors who have completed one year of continuous service with their employer. The vacation period is designed to provide workers with mandatory rest and recovery from the physical and mental demands of continuous employment, recognizing that sustained work causes biological wear on the body that requires periodic restoration.

The legal foundation for this requirement is established in Colombian labor law, with constitutional oversight provided through the Constitutional Court decision C-035/2005, which affirms the fundamental purpose and scope of vacation entitlements. The regulation ensures that workers receive full salary during their vacation period and that employers cannot deny or reduce this benefit.

Employers must grant the 15-day vacation entitlement within the calendar year following the completion of each 12-month employment period, though the specific timing can be negotiated between employer and employee. If an employee leaves employment before using all accrued vacation days, employers must pay out the unused balance as a lump sum. Vacation days cannot be replaced with monetary compensation unless the employment relationship terminates. Payroll teams must track vacation accrual carefully, ensure proper documentation of vacation periods taken, and calculate final settlements accurately when employees separate. Failure to provide or properly compensate vacation entitlements can result in significant labor penalties and claims before Colombian labor authorities.