In Portugal, the Labour Code mandates that all employees are entitled to a minimum of 22 working days of paid annual leave per calendar year. If an employee doesn't work the entire calendar year, they accrue two working days of vacation for each month of employment.

It's important to note that vacation entitlement is a mandatory right for employees. Employees cannot waive their right to vacation time, and employers cannot pay employees in lieu of granting vacation days.

Scheduling of Vacation Leave

The scheduling of vacation leave requires mutual agreement between employers and employees. Employers are required to publish the annual vacation schedule by April 15th. Vacations can be split, but one period must have at least 10 consecutive working days.

Carryover of Vacation Leave

Any unused vacation from the previous year must be taken by April 30th of the following year.

Vacation Pay

During vacation leave, employees receive their regular base salary plus a vacation allowance.

Additional Information

In some industries or companies, collective bargaining agreements may offer more generous vacation entitlements than the legal minimum.

In Portugal, there are several national holidays that are observed throughout the country. These include:

• New Year's Day (Ano Novo): Celebrated on January 1st.
• Freedom Day (Dia da Liberdade): Observed on April 25th, this day commemorates the Carnation Revolution of 1974, which ended the authoritarian Estado Novo regime.
• Labor Day (Dia do Trabalhador): Celebrated on May 1st.
• Portugal Day (Dia de Portugal, de Camões e das Comunidades Portuguesas): Observed on June 10th.
• Assumption of Mary (Assunção de Nossa Senhora): Celebrated on August 15th.
• Republic Day (Implantação da República): Observed on October 5th, this day marks the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of the Portuguese Republic in 1910.
• All Saints' Day (Todos os Santos): Celebrated on November 1st.
• Restoration of Independence Day (Restauração da Independência): Observed on December 1st, this day celebrates Portugal's restoration of independence from Spain in 1640.
• Immaculate Conception Day (Imaculada Conceição): Celebrated on December 8th.
• Christmas Day (Natal): Observed on December 25th.

Religious Holidays

Portugal has a strong Catholic tradition, and several religious holidays are nationally observed. These include:

• Carnival (Carnaval): This holiday has a variable date in February or March. While it's an optional holiday, it's widely celebrated.
• Good Friday (Sexta-feira Santa): This is the Friday before Easter Sunday, and its date varies.
• Easter Sunday (Domingo de Páscoa): This holiday has a variable date in March or April.
• Corpus Christi (Corpo de Deus): This is observed 60 days after Easter Sunday, and its date varies.

Municipal Holidays

Many cities and towns in Portugal have their own specific holidays, usually celebrating their patron saints. For instance:

• Lisbon: Celebrates St. Anthony's Day on June 13th.
• Porto: Celebrates St. John's Day on June 24th.

Employees in Portugal are entitled to various types of leave. These include annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, parental leave, and other types of leave such as bereavement leave, marriage leave, jury duty leave, and leave for exams.

Annual Leave

Employees are entitled to a minimum of 22 working days of paid annual leave per calendar year. Two working days are accrued for each month of employment. Vacation time must be agreed upon by the employer and employee and can be taken in a continuous or split manner. Unused vacation time must be used by April 30th of the following year.

Sick Leave

Employees are entitled to sick leave when they cannot work due to illness or injury. The duration varies depending on the length of employment and severity of the illness, with a maximum duration of up to 1095 days. Compensation varies, with no compensation for the first 3 days, the employer paying a percentage of salary for days 4-90, and Social Security providing sick pay at a percentage of salary (between 55%-75%) beyond 90 days. A medical certificate is required after four days of absence.

Maternity Leave

Pregnant employees are entitled to paid maternity leave. The duration is 120 days (or 150 days in cases of multiple births) and can be extended in specific circumstances. Compensation is 100% of base salary paid by Social Security.

Paternity Leave

Fathers are entitled to paternity leave following the birth of their child. The mandatory duration is 20 working days (5 of which must be taken immediately after birth). An optional additional 5 working days can be taken within the first 6 weeks after birth. A 'shared' parental leave of an additional flexible period of up to 30 working days can be shared between the parents. Compensation is 100% of base salary paid by Social Security (except the optional 5 working days, which may be paid at a lower rate).

Parental Leave

Parental leave is available to either parent after maternity or paternity leave. The duration is up to 120 days (can be extended in specific situations) and may be taken as a continuous period or in up to 3 flexible periods. Compensation varies depending on chosen duration and timing and is paid by Social Security.

Other Types of Leave

Employees are entitled to up to 5 days of paid leave following the death of a close relative (bereavement leave), 15 days of paid leave upon their marriage (marriage leave), time off for jury duty (compensation varies), and time off for educational exams may be available.

Specific leave entitlements and regulations may vary slightly depending on collective bargaining agreements or individual employment contracts.