What Are Government Holidays, and When Can an Employer Require an Employee to Take Time Off?

Quick Overview

• Government recesses are not a legal term. They generally refer to periods when regular government meetings do not take place.
• Ministers are not entitled to vacation under the Labor Code because their positions do not constitute a standard employment relationship.
• Employees, on the other hand, are entitled to vacation under the Labor Code, and the minimum amount is generally four weeks per year.
• The timing of vacation is usually determined by the employer, who must also take the employee’s legitimate interests into account.
• The employer must notify the employee in writing of the scheduled dates, generally at least 14 days in advance, unless they agree otherwise.

Has your employer ordered you to take vacation on short notice, canceled an already approved date, or asked you to take vacation at a time when the law does not permit it? Send us a description of the situation, and our attorneys will assess whether your employer acted in accordance with the Labor Code.

How much vacation time is an employee entitled to in 2026?

According to the Labor Code, the basic annual leave entitlement is at least four weeks per calendar year. Employees of certain public-sector employers are entitled to five weeks, while teaching and academic staff are entitled to eight weeks.

However, vacation time is no longer calculated simply based on the number of months or days worked. Entitlement is determined in hours based on the employee’s weekly working hours and the number of full weeks worked. If the employment relationship does not last the entire year, the employee may be entitled to a corresponding pro-rated portion of vacation time.

For example, an employee with a standard 40-hour workweek and a four-week annual leave entitlement is entitled to 160 hours of vacation for the entire year, provided the conditions are met.

What are government recesses, and do ministers get vacation time?

Czech law does not recognize the term “government recess.” It is an informal term for the period when the government generally does not have regular sessions scheduled. However, this does not mean that the government ceases to function or that all ministers are on statutory vacation.

This is because a member of the government does not hold office under a standard employment relationship and is therefore not subject to the vacation rules of the Labor Code in the same way as an employee. Consequently, a minister does not submit a standard “vacation request” to an employer.

Even during the period referred to as the “government recess,” however, the government may meet as needed, and members of the government must be available to perform their duties. If an emergency, a security issue, or another serious matter arises, the absence of regular meetings does not prevent the government from being convened.

Mandatory Leave Ordered by the Employer: When Can the Employer Schedule It?

Under the Labor Code, the employer generally determines the timing of vacation leave. However, vacation leave mandated by the employer does not mean that the employer can choose any date without regard for the employee. When scheduling vacation, the employer must take into account not only its operational needs but also the employee’s legitimate interests.

The employer must notify the employee of the vacation dates in writing at least 14 days in advance, unless the parties agree on a shorter notice period. If the vacation is divided into several segments, at least one of them should consist of a continuous period of at least two weeks, unless the parties agree otherwise.

In addition, there are periods during which an employer may not schedule vacation—for example, during temporary incapacity for work or maternity leave.

From attorneys’ experience: A common misconception among employees is the belief that once vacation has been approved, the employer can no longer change the dates. The law allows the employer to do so under certain circumstances. However, if the employer changes the already scheduled vacation or recalls the employee from vacation, the employer must reimburse the employee for any costs incurred through no fault of the employee—typically, for example, accommodation cancellation fees or costs associated with an early return.

Has your employer changed your already approved vacation, and have you incurred costs as a result? A lawyer will review your case and advise you on whether and to what extent you can claim reimbursement for those costs.

Can an employer send the entire company on vacation?

Yes, but only under relatively strict conditions. The Labor Code permits so-called collective vacation time, sometimes referred to as company-wide vacation, only if it is necessary for operational reasons.

Collective vacation may last a maximum of two weeks, or up to four weeks for artistic ensembles. If a labor union and an employee council are active at the employer’s company, the law also requires their involvement in the decision-making process.

A typical reason might be, for example, a planned shutdown of operations. Therefore, an employer cannot implement company-wide vacation simply because it is not profitable to operate the business during the summer or between holidays, for example, unless there are necessary operational reasons for doing so.

Can a minister go on vacation during the government’s recess?

Yes. The fact that members of the government are not entitled to vacation time under the Labor Code does not mean they are prohibited from resting or traveling. However, there is no statutory number of “vacation days” that a minister must use up in the same way as an employee.

The performance of ministerial duties continues even during the period known as the government recess. Therefore, if a situation arises requiring the minister’s participation or a government meeting, the functioning of the relevant ministry must be ensured.

If the Prime Minister concludes that a minister is unable to fulfill his or her duties or is not performing them properly, he or she may propose the minister’s dismissal to the President. According to the Constitution, the President dismisses a member of the government upon the proposal of the Prime Minister.

Summary

Government recesses are not a legally defined type of vacation but merely an informal term for a period without regular government meetings. Members of the government are not entitled to vacation under the Labor Code in the same way as regular employees. For employees, the statutory minimum is generally four weeks per year, and vacation is calculated in hours. The timing of vacation is usually determined by the employer, who must generally provide at least 14 days’ notice. However, there are limits to the vacation that an employer can mandate, and special rules also apply to collective vacation time or changes to an already approved schedule.