Labor law updates regarding employee vacation rights and meal breaks

Legal experts and recent court rulings have clarified specific worker rights and obligations regarding time off and breaks.

In Colombia, employers have the authority and obligation to schedule employee vacations within legal timeframes. According to labor law specialist Camilo Cuervo, companies must notify employees of scheduled leave at least 15 business days in advance. While employees are entitled to 15 business days of paid vacation per year of service, refusing to take scheduled leave can be considered a serious breach of labor obligations, potentially leading to justified dismissal. Conversely, employers who fail to grant vacation days may face fines of up to 5,000 minimum wages.

Regarding meal breaks, recent judicial interpretations have addressed the distinction between rest periods and working time. A ruling from the Supreme Court established that if an employee is required to remain reachable or operational during a meal break—such as monitoring phones or emails—that period cannot be classified as effective rest. For a break to qualify as non-working time, the employee must be able to freely dispose of their time and fully disconnect from their duties.