What do you do if you fall ill in the middle of your holiday?
It the thermometer shows fever while on holiday, it is worth while informing your employer about it immediately. Photo: Lehtikuva
PAM’s Juha Ojala runs through what you need to know about postponing holiday and the waiting period.
What bad luck, I’m struck down with fever in the middle of my holiday! Does that mean I can postpone my holiday or will I be spending my long-awaited leave confined to my bed?
The answer is that holiday can be postponed, but only after a possible waiting period. The waiting period is the initial period of illness that you are responsible for. Remaining holiday days can be taken later when you are well again.
No waiting period for four weeks’ annual holiday
Your annual holiday entitlement determines the length of the waiting period.
Those who have at least five weeks, or 30 days, of annual holiday including summer and winter holiday have the longest waiting period - 6 holiday days. So at most you can lose one week of holiday to illness.
But there is no waiting period if you have a maximum of four weeks, or 24 days, of annual holiday. Then the employer must postpone the holiday for the entire period of illness if the employee requests it.
According to PAM’s Chief Negotiator, Juha Ojala, the reason for this is that the Annual Holidays Act guarantees everyone at least four weeks of annual holiday without falling ill.
“If you have earned more than 24 days of holiday, then – and only then – you might have to spend part of your holiday on sick leave”, Ojala points out.
If you have 25–29 days of annual holiday, the waiting period is 1–5 days.
No waiting period if you fall ill before your holiday
There is no waiting period if an employee falls ill before their holiday.
Then the employee should ask for the holiday to be postponed, and the employer must grant the holiday later on. For some PAM members, more detailed rules on this are contained in their collective agreements.
If you fall ill, report it without delay
Ojala says that if you fall ill, you need to notify your employer without delay.
“Whenever an employee falls ill, they need to notify their employer without delay, and this applies whether you fall ill before your annual holiday or during the holiday. You should also ask for the holiday to be postponed without undue delay”, Juha Ojala says.
It pays to report even short spells of work incapacity since any waiting period is deducted from both summer holiday and winter holiday.
Employees should report illness in line with the practices at their workplace. If necessary, work incapacity will have to be demonstrated with a medical certificate.
Postponed holiday days must be granted at the times specified in the Annual Holidays Act.