In some jurisdictions, holiday pay is an allowance which an employee earns through work in the calendar year prior to the year of the holiday. It is usually a percentage supplement to the salary that has been paid the year before the holiday pay is to be paid.

Holiday pay is a legal term in Norway (feriepenger),[1] Sweden (semesterlön),[2] Denmark (feriepenge),[3] Belgium[4] and the Netherlands[5] (vakantiegeld, pécule de vacances), Germany[6] and Austria (Urlaubsgeld).[7]

Norwegian law

In Norway, the right to holiday pay is established in the Holiday Act of 1988 (ferieloven).[8]

An employee who has not been working the previous year has the right of vacation, but does not have the right of holiday pay. The holiday year (ferieåret) is defined as the year when the employee leaves for holiday. The holiday pay earned in the previous year is paid in connection with the holiday leave the following year, no later than one week before the holiday starts.[9]

The right of holiday pay is linked to the concept of an employee, which means that one performs work in the service of another. Freelancers and self-employed persons are therefore not entitled to holiday pay under the Norwegian Holiday Act.

The holiday pay amounts to 10.2% of the holiday pay basis. Employees who turn 59 years are entitled to 12.5%.[10] Employees covered by a collective agreement that provides a fifth holiday week receive 12% (with employees over the age of 60 years receiving 14.3%).[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The tax system in Norway: do you know your feriepenger from your skattemeldingen?". IRIS FMP International. 2017-12-19. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  2. ^ "Why you get paid MORE when you take time off in Sweden". Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  3. ^ "EXPLAINED: Denmark's 'frozen' holiday pay: how does it work and what are the problems with payouts?". The Local Denmark. 2020-08-15. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  4. ^ "Employment Law in Belgium: In-depth | Croner-i". app.croneri.co.uk. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  5. ^ Evans, Tina. "What is Holiday Allowance (Vakantiegeld) in the Netherlands? - Blue Lynx". Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  6. ^ "Employment and employee benefits in Germany: overview". Practical Law. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  7. ^ "Employment and Employee Benefits in Austria: Overview". Practical Law. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  8. ^ a b "Lov om ferie [ferieloven] - Lovdata". lovdata.no. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  9. ^ "Holiday pay". www.altinn.no. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
  10. ^ "Holiday and holiday pay". nav.no. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
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