What type of leaves are employees entitled to in Spain?

In Spain, employees are entitled to various types of leave as mandated by labor laws and collective agreements. The Spanish Workers' Statute (Estatuto de los Trabajadores) and other relevant legislations outline these entitlements, which include:

Annual Paid Vacation

Annual Leave: Employees are entitled to a minimum of 30 calendar days of paid vacation per year. Some collective agreements may offer more vacation days.

Public Holidays

Public Holidays: Spain has national, regional, and local public holidays. Employees are entitled to days off for these holidays, which can vary depending on the region.

Health-Related Leave

Sick Leave: Employees can take sick leave and receive a benefit from the Social Security system starting from the fourth day of absence due to illness or non-work-related injury. The amount of the benefit depends on the duration of the leave, with employers often supplementing this to ensure the employee receives their full salary.
Maternity Leave: Mothers are entitled to 16 weeks of paid maternity leave, which can start several weeks before the expected due date. This leave can be extended in cases of multiple births, adoption, fostering, or if the child has a disability.
Paternity Leave: Fathers are entitled to the same length of paternity leave as mothers, 16 weeks, to care for their newborn or newly adopted child, with the leave being non-transferable to the mother to encourage shared responsibility.

Family Care and Bereavement Leave

Parental Leave: Beyond maternity and paternity leave, parents can take unpaid leave until the child turns 8 years old to care for their child. The specific conditions and duration can depend on collective bargaining agreements.
Bereavement Leave: Employees are generally entitled to 2 to 4 days off in the event of the death of a close family member, depending on the distance to the place of the funeral.

Marriage Leave

Marriage Leave: Employees are entitled to 15 days of paid leave when they get married.

Other Types of Leave

Jury Service or Public Duties Leave: Employees performing public duties, including jury service, are entitled to leave with pay.
Study Leave: Employees have the right to take leave for professional development or training, with the conditions depending on the collective agreement or employer policies.
Short Absences: Employees are allowed to take a few hours off for justified reasons such as medical visits, school meetings, etc., often without loss of pay.

Special Leaves

Unpaid Personal Leave: Employees may request an unpaid leave of absence for personal reasons, subject to agreement with the employer. The duration and conditions are typically outlined in collective agreements.

Employees are encouraged to consult their employment contract and applicable collective agreements for specific details on how to avail these leaves, as provisions can vary widely depending on the sector and the employer. Additionally, notifying the employer within a reasonable timeframe and providing necessary documentation, such as medical certificates for health-related leaves, is generally required.

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