In this page, we’ll break down all you need to know about leave laws in Hungary.
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 Hungary under the age of 25 are entitled to 20 days of paid time off per year.
At the following age milestones, the paid time off entitlement rises by an additional day.
Workers aged 45 and older are thus entitled to 30 days annual leave, not increasing further past this point.
Employees are entitled to take part of their annual leave as one period of at least two weeks (14 consecutive days).
Only extra days (days added on based on the employee’s age) can be carried over from one year to the next, unless the employee starts working in October or later – in which case they can use their leave up until the following March.
Learn more about Use It or Lose It policies here.
Employees in Hungary get 15 days of paid sick leave from their employer each year, paid at 70% of their regular pay.
After this time, the employee can claim a sickness benefit from social insurance for a maximum of one year, paid at 60% of their regular pay (50% if they have been insured less than 730 days, or if they are staying in hospital).
Hungary has the following public holidays for 2024:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year’s Day |
| March 15 | 1848 Revolution Memorial Day |
| March 29 | Good Friday |
| March 31 | Easter Sunday |
| April 1 | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | Labour Day |
| May 19 | Pentecost |
| May 20 | Whit Monday |
| August 20 | State Foundation Day |
| October 23 | 1956 Revolution Memorial Day |
| November 1 | All Saints Day |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | St. Stephen’s Day |
Public holidays entitle employees to time off with pay. If required to work on a public holiday, the employee is entitled to double pay, and an additional 50% on top if they are required to work overtime.
Mothers are entitled to 24 weeks of maternity leave, two weeks of which is mandatory. Maternity leave can begin up to four weeks prior to birth. During this time, the mother may be able to claim “infant care allowance” from social insurance, compensating them 100% of their regular pay for the maternity leave period.
Fathers are entitled to five days of paternity leave (rising to seven days for multiple births), paid at 100% of their regular wage, to be used during the first two months of the child’s life.
Adoptive parents are eligible for the same maternity benefits as natural parents. The mother can take up to 24 weeks of maternity leave, while adoptive fathers can take five days of paternity leave (rising to seven days when adopting more than one child).
Employees in Hungary are entitled to take additional parental leave, lasting from the end of maternity leave until the child’s second birthday, compensated at 70% of their regular pay by social insurance.
Both parents can take parental leave, but only one at a time.
Bereavement leave is not a statutory right by law in Hungary.
What is Bereavement Leave? Click here to learn more.
https://helpers.hu/staffing-solutions/state-holidays-vacation-days-employees-hungary/
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1113&langId=en&intPageId=4578
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