News - 12.06.2024
Increased holiday rights for members
In the last collective agreements, increased holiday rights were negotiated for VR members, which will take effect in the allowance year 2025. However, we remind union members that the accumulation of these vacation rights for the next vacation year is from May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025. We also point out that union members who have completed secondary school should submit confirmation to ensure increased vacation rights in accordance with these changes.
- The minimum vacation is unchanged, 24 working days or two vacation days for each month worked in the vacation year, and vacation pay is 10.17% of total earnings.
- An employee who has worked at the same company for 6 months and has reached the age of 22 or has worked at the same company for 6 months after completing secondary school is entitled to 25 holiday days with a holiday allowance of 10.64%. This is an increased right.
- After 5 years in the same profession, an employee is entitled to 25 days of vacation, with vacation pay being 10.64%. These rights remain unchanged from previous agreements.
- After 5 years with the same company or 10 years in the same profession, an employee is entitled to 27 days of vacation, with vacation pay being 11.59%. This is an increased right, previously it only applied to those who had reached 5 years in the same company.
- After 7 years with the same company, an employee is entitled to 30 days of vacation, with vacation pay being 13.04%. This is an increased right, previously it applied after 10 years in the same company.
These changes took effect on May 1, 2024. If vacation is calculated monthly and deposited in a bank, it is important to ensure that the vacation percentage has increased in line with these changes. The vacation percentage can be seen on the payslip.
If vacation hours are shown on the payslip, it is necessary to ensure that the vacation hours have increased accordingly. Vacation hours according to the collective agreement for a 24-day vacation right are 17.08 hours per month for shop assistants and 16.2 hours for office workers. Vacation hours for a 25-day vacation right are 17.87 vacation hours for shop assistants and 16.94 hours for office workers, based on a fully worked month according to the collective agreement.
Union members who completed secondary school this spring need to provide information about their secondary school diploma to their immediate supervisor to receive increased vacation rights. They will then receive the right after 6 months of employment with the same company. This right applies to all who have completed secondary school previously, i.e., each individual must provide information about it to the employer to enjoy these rights.
The same applies to union members who have worked in the same industry for 10 years but less than 5 years in the same company. Confirmation must be provided to the employer to receive increased vacation rights. This can be done, for example, by submitting a payment history of union fees that can be seen on "My Pages" on vr.is or obtained from other unions, if applicable. Parties can negotiate more vacation days among themselves and then increase the vacation pay accordingly. If increased vacation rights are negotiated beyond what is stated in the collective agreement, it is important that it is done in writing.
Previously, the right was that earned rights due to work in the same company renewed after three years of work with a new company. From May 1, 2024, an individual only needs to work for two years with a new company to regain the rights they had with their former employer.
