Public Holidays
In each calendar year all employees are entitled to a period of paid annual
leave. Entitlement to annual leave cannot be replaced by any economic or other
compensation, is acquired by entering into a contract of employment and falls
due on 1 January of each calendar year.
Duration of holiday period: the annual holiday period lasts for a minimum of 22
working days. After six full months of performing the contract of employment in
the year they are taken on, employees are entitled to take two working days’
holiday for each month's duration of their contract, up to a maximum of 20
working days. Contracts lasting less than six months entitle employees to two
working days’ holiday for each full month’s duration of the contract.
Public Holidays: the following are compulsory public holidays:
- 1 January (New Year’s Day)
- Good Friday
- Easter Sunday
- 25 April (Day of Freedom)
- 1 May (Labour Day)
- Corpus Cristi (movable feast)
- 10 June (Portugal Day)
- 15 August (Ascension Day)
- 5 October (Day of the Republic)
- 1 November (All Saints)
- 1 December (Restoration of Independence)
- 8 December (Immaculate Conception)
- 25 December (Christmas Day)
By means of special legislation, certain statutory public holidays can be
observed on the Monday of the following week. Besides the statutory holidays,
Shrove Tuesday (movable feast in February/March) and the local municipal holiday
(or district public holidays if the latter do not exist) may also be observed.
Absence and Leave
Absences from work due to illness are deemed to be justified, incurring loss
of pay, provided the employee is covered by a social security scheme providing
sickness protection. Employees are entitled to be absent from work for 15 days
per year to provide urgent and essential care to members of their household in
the event of illness or accident.
In order to care for a child or an adopted child of up to six years of age,
the father and mother are entitled alternatively to: three months’ parental
leave; to work part-time for 12 months; to interspersed periods of parental
leave and part-time work in which the total duration of their absence and the
reduction in working hours is equal to three months’ normal working hours.
When these entitlements expire, the father or mother is entitled to special
childcare leave for a maximum of two years.
Employees are entitled to childcare leave to care for a minor who is ill. Such
leave is limited to 30 days per year or, in the event of hospitalisation, is
unlimited.
Anyone who works under a contract of employment and attends any level of
academic education, including postgraduate courses, in an educational
institution may be classed as a student-employee, which allows them to benefit
from release from work for up to six hours per week, without loss of rights.
Useful information:
- Código do Trabalho [Labour Code], Law No 99/2003 of 27 August
- IDICT – Instituto do Desenvolvimento e Inspecção das Condições de Trabalho [Institute for the Development and Inspection of Working Conditions]
Praça de Alvalade, 1 - 1749-073 Lisbon
Tel:
217 924 500
Fax: 217 924 597
Text last edited March 2008
Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2009
Reproduction is authorised.
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