This year, Christmas and New Year’s Day fall during the week and are therefore favorable from an employee perspective. Therefore, many employees will take the period between these holidays off. But as an employer, can you also oblige the employee to take his vacation days during this period because e.g. it is a quiet period for your company?
We can be brief about that: no you may not. In principle, an employee may decide for himself when to take his vacation days. However, there are a few exceptions to this ‘standard rule’. For example, it may be stipulated (in advance) in the collective bargaining agreement or employment contract that a number of specific dates are designated as compulsory vacations. By signing the employment contract or being (compulsorily) bound by the collective bargaining agreement, the employee is bound by this.
Should you, now that 2025 has another employee-friendly Christmas period, want to make use of this possibility or get more advice on this, please contact our labor law team.
