News - 19.03.2025

Increased Holiday Entitlement - a Reminder

In the most recent collective agreements, increased holiday entitlement was negotiated for VR members. The accrual of entitlements during the period from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025, for holidays in the summer of 2025 is as follows:

The minimum holiday entitlement remains unchanged, at 24 working days or two holiday days for each month worked during the holiday year, with holiday pay at 10.17% of all wages.
VR members who have worked six months in the same company and are at least 22 years old, or who have worked six months in the same company after completing upper secondary school, are entitled to 25 holiday days with holiday pay at 10.64%. This is an increased entitlement.
After five years in the same occupation, holiday entitlement remains 25 days, with holiday pay at 10.64%. These rights remain unchanged from previous agreements.
After five years in the same company or 10 years in the same occupation, holiday entitlement is 27 days, with holiday pay at 11.59%. This is an increase, as previously this entitlement only applied to those who had worked for five years in the same company.
After seven years in the same company, holiday entitlement is 30 days, with holiday pay at 13.04%. This is an increase, as this entitlement previously applied after 10 years in the same company.

These changes took effect on May 1, 2024. If holiday pay is calculated monthly and deposited into a bank account, it is important to ensure that the holiday pay percentage has increased in line with these changes. The holiday percentage can be checked on the payslip.

If holiday hours are displayed on the payslip, care should be taken to ensure they have increased accordingly. A person with a 24-day holiday entitlement working full-time daytime hours for a full month accrues 17.08 holiday hours per month in retail positions and 16.2 hours in office positions.

For a 25-day holiday entitlement, the accrual is 17.87 hours in retail positions and 16.94 hours in office positions.

VR members who complete an upper secondary school diploma this spring must inform their immediate supervisor to receive the increased holiday entitlement. This entitlement is granted after six months of employment with the same company following the completion of the diploma. This right also applies to those who have already completed their upper secondary education—everyone must notify their employer to claim these rights.

The same applies to VR members who have worked for 10 years in the same occupation but less than five years in the same company. They must submit confirmation to their employer to receive the increased holiday entitlement. This can be done, for example, by submitting a payment history of membership fees, which can be found on My Pages at vr.is or obtained from other unions to which payments have been made.

Employees and employers may agree on additional holiday days, increasing holiday pay accordingly. If holiday entitlements beyond those stated in the collective agreement are negotiated, it is important to ensure that the agreement is made in writing.

Previously, accrued entitlements from employment with the same company were renewed after three years of employment with a new employer. As of May 1, 2024, an individual only needs to work for two years with a new employer to regain the entitlement they had with their previous employer.

Further Increases from May 1, 2025

From May 1, 2025 (for the period May 1, 2025 – April 30, 2026, affecting holiday entitlement for the summer of 2026), holiday entitlements will increase as follows:
After five years in the same occupation, holiday entitlement will be 26 days, with holiday pay at 11.11%. This is an increase of one additional day.
After four years in the same company or 10 years in the same occupation, holiday entitlement will be 28 days, with holiday pay at 12.07%. This is an increase of one additional day, and the entitlement is now earned one year earlier than before.
After six years in the same company, holiday entitlement will be 30 days, with holiday pay at 13.04%. This entitlement will now be earned one year earlier than before.

Further information on holiday entitlements can be found here.