Work Vacation (Annual Leave – der Urlaub) in Germany (2025)
Definition of Leave (Erholungsurlaub)
Annual leave is a paid period during which an employee has the right to stop working in order to rest and recover. It is governed by the Federal Vacation Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz – BUrlG).
Entitlement and Waiting Period (Wartezeit)
Waiting period for full entitlement (§ 4 BUrlG):
An employee acquires the full annual leave entitlement for the first time after six months of continuous employment in the same contractual relationship (Gesetze im Internet).
Pro-rated leave before the waiting period ends:
If the employment relationship ends before the six months are completed, the employee is entitled to a pro-rated share of annual leave depending on the period actually worked (§ 5 BUrlG) (Industrie- und Handelskammer).
Minimum Number of Vacation Days (§ 3 BUrlG)
The law stipulates a minimum of 24 working days (Werktage) of annual leave. Working days are all calendar days of the week except Sundays and public holidays (Gesetze im Internet, Wikipedia).
For a five-day working week, this corresponds in practice to 20 working days (four weeks).
For a six-day working week, the statutory minimum remains 24 working days.
Carrying Over Leave (Übertragung) and Priority Rules (§ 7 BUrlG)
Carry-over to the following year:
Carrying over annual leave into the next calendar year is only permitted for urgent personal reasons or pressing operational reasons. Carried-over leave must generally be taken by 31 March of the following year (Gesetze im Internet).
Order and social priority:
The employer should, as a rule, take the employee’s preferred vacation dates into account. However, the employer may change the vacation schedule if there are urgent business needs or if other employees’ vacation requests have higher social priority (for example, employees with school-age children).
Compensation for Unused Vacation (Abgeltung)
Upon termination of the contract:
If the employee is no longer able to take all of their vacation because the employment relationship has ended, the remaining vacation days must be financially compensated (§ 7 para. 4 BUrlG) (Wikipedia).
Prohibition of Certain Activities During Leave (§ 8 BUrlG)
During annual leave, employees may not engage in activities that contradict the purpose of the leave, namely rest and recovery. In particular, taking on another job that significantly undermines the recuperation effect of the vacation is not allowed (Wikipedia).
Tips for Managing Your Vacation
Plan your vacation early and submit your vacation request in writing well in advance.
Regularly check your remaining leave balance via your payslip or HR system to ensure that your records are accurate.
Coordinate with colleagues to avoid conflicts over dates and to keep operations running smoothly.
Make sure to arrange the carry-over of vacation days in exceptional situations and provide strong reasons if you are unable to use all your leave before the end of the year.
By following these rules, you can fully secure your right to paid annual leave, protect your health and well-being, and remain fully compliant with the provisions of the German Federal Vacation Act (Bundesurlaubsgesetz).
Our editorial team strives to provide accurate information based on thorough research and multiple sources. However, mistakes may occur or some information may be incomplete or not finally confirmed. Therefore, the content of this article should be seen as an initial guide only. Always contact the relevant authorities or professional bodies if you need binding, official information.
