In this page, we’ll break down all you need to know about leave laws in Cyprus.
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.
Employees in Cyprus, after having worked 48 weeks in one year, are entitled to four weeks annual leave – 20 working days for people working five days per week, 24 working days for people working six days per week.
If an employee works part-time, or fewer than 48 weeks in a year, their leave entitlement is adjusted accordingly.
Leave can be accumulated for up to two years. Employers are obliged to pay any outstanding leave when an employee leaves the company.
Learn more about Use It or Lose It policies here.
Sick leave is not mandated by law. Cyprus leave laws state that it is a matter of agreement between the employer and employee whether to offer sick leave, how long for, and whether or not it is paid.
Employees are able to claim a sickness benefit from social insurance, however, starting from their fourth day of being off work.
Cyprus has the following public holidays:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| March 3 | National Holiday |
| Variable – March/April | Good Friday |
| Variable – March/April | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | May Day |
| May 9 | Europe Day |
| 40 days after Easter | Ascension Day |
| 50 days after Easter | Whit Monday |
| October 1 | Independence Day |
| November 1 | All Saints’ Day |
| November 2 | All Souls’ Day |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | Day after Christmas |
Holidays that fall on a weekend typically do not transfer to another day.
Public holidays are provided as a paid day off for employees. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, they are entitled to 200% of their regular pay.
A pregnant worker is entitled to 18 consecutive weeks of maternity leave, extended by four weeks for each additional baby in the case of multiple births.
Of the 18 weeks, 11 weeks are compulsory – two weeks prior to the expected week of delivery, the week of delivery, and eight weeks after.
A woman who adopts a child under the age of 12 is entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave, while a surrogate mother is entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave.
The employee is eligible for maternity benefit during this time, paid by social insurance.
Fathers are entitled to two consecutive weeks of paternity leave, during the period starting the expected week of birth, up until two weeks from the end of maternity leave. This too is paid by social insurance.
In addition to maternity leave and paternity leave, employees with children under the age of eight are entitled to take up to 18 weeks unpaid parental leave for each child.
Employees can take up to five days of leave for the death of a child or spouse, three days for the death of a parent or sibling, and one day for any other family member.
What is Bereavement Leave? Click here to learn more.
http://www.eures.gov.cy/mlsi/dl/eures/eures.nsf/6FADA3EEEF4E69F2C2257FD1002C5868/$file/Annual%20Holidays%20with%20Pay%20Guide-English.pdf
https://www.mlsi.gov.cy/mlsi/dlr/dlr.nsf/All/667C838ECD821E8FC22586E100383F74?OpenDocument
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1105&langId=en&intPageId=5004
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