In this page, we’ll break down all you need to know about leave laws in Bulgaria.
Read on to learn about employees’ rights in regards to paid time off/annual leave, sick leave, parental leave, national/public holidays, and more.
This page is intended for reference purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please see official government sources or consult a legal professional for actual legal advice.
After eight months service time, employees in Bulgaria become eligible for paid annual leave.
The minimum entitlement for annual leave is 20 working days per year. For minors or employees that are partly unable to work, this increases to 26 days. Employees working shorter schedules get a lesser leave entitlement, relative to their working time.
Employees can carry over up to ten days at the end of the year, and annual leave will expire two years following the end of the year it was given.
When an employee leaves their job, the employer must pay out any unused leave.
Learn more about Use It or Lose It policies here.
Employees in Bulgaria are entitled to paid sick leave. The first three days of sick leave are paid by the employer at 70% of the employee’s regular pay. The following time is compensated via sickness benefit from social insurance, paid out at 80% of the employee’s regular pay.
Bulgaria has the following public holidays:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| March 3 | National Holiday /Bulgaria’s Liberation from the Ottoman Empire/ |
| March/April (variable) | Easter Holidays (4 days for Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday and Monday) |
| May 1 | Labour and International Worker’s Solidarity Day |
| May 6 | Gergyovden (St. George’s Day), and the Bulgarian Army’s Day |
| May 24 | Bulgarian Education and Culture, and Slavic Script Day |
| September 6 | Unification Day |
| September 22 | Independence Day |
| November 1 | Day of the Bulgarian Enlighteners * |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | 2nd day of Christmas |
If a public holiday falls on a Saturday and/or Sunday, the first or the first two business days following that public holiday shall be non-working days.
Employees are entitled to a paid day off for public holidays, and if required to work, are entitled to double their regular pay.
Employees in Bulgaria are entitled to a total of 410 days of maternity leave.
This includes 45 days prior to the expected date of birth (which can be extended, up to a maximum of 93 days, if the mother did not yet give birth).
The mother can take 42 days of maternity leave immediately after childbirth (including if the child was stillborn or given up for adoption).
Following that is a period of 135 days, if the employee has a document from a GP stating temporary incapacitation from work.
The remaining 275 days can be used upon application by the mother.
Maternity leave is paid by social insurance.
Fathers are entitled to 15 days of paternity leave, paid at 90% of the employee’s regular income, followed by an additional two months, paid at the statutory minimum wage. This benefit is paid by social insurance.
Fathers can also take over part of the mother’s 410 days of maternity leave. However, if doing this, he is not eligible for the additional two months paternity leave.
Employees are entitled to additional paid leave (and benefit from social insurance) to take care of a child up until the age of two. This can be taken by the mother, father, grandparent or guardian of the child.
Employees are entitled to two working days leave for the death of a parent, child, spouse, brother, sister and spouse’s parent or other lineal relatives.
What is Bereavement Leave? Click here to learn more.
If an employee is attending secondary school or higher, with the consent of their employer, they are entitled to 25 days of paid study leave for each year of study.
Employees are entitled to two days of leave when getting married.
http://www.bulgaria-labour-law.bg/vacation.html
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