Greek Employers Must Pay Vacation Allowance Before Summer Leave

Under Greek labour law, employers are required to pay the vacation allowance (επίδομα αδείας) to employees before the start of their annual leave. The allowance, which is prepaid, cannot be offset against higher wages and must be calculated on the basis of the employee’s regular earnings. For monthly‑paid workers the allowance may not exceed the pay for 15 days, typically half a month’s salary; for daily‑waged workers it may not exceed 13 days of wages.

Employers must grant the requested leave within two months, and summer leave must be scheduled between 1 May and 30 September for at least half of the workforce in each company. If an employer refuses the leave, they must pay the employee’s vacation wages with a 100 % surcharge. The allowance can be paid in full at the start of the leave or in installments together with regular wages during the leave period. Workers can calculate their entitlement using the online ΚΕΠΕΑ tool provided by the Centre of Information for Employees and Unemployed.