Romanian employee leave and medical indemnity regulations

In Romania, labor regulations and employee preferences regarding leave and medical indemnity are characterized by specific statutory requirements and varying recovery needs. Under the Labor Code, employees are entitled to a minimum of 20 working days of paid leave annually, with the ability to carry over unused days for up to 18 months. Financial compensation for unused leave is restricted to cases where an employment contract is terminated. For those working on weekends, the law mandates 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest, which must be granted on other days. In certain instances where rest is accumulated after 14 days of continuous activity, a bonus of at least 150% of the basic salary may apply. Caregivers are granted at least 5 working days per year for supporting relatives with serious medical conditions, and up to 10 days may be available for unforeseen family emergencies. Additionally, employees have rights to paid leave for special family events, such as marriage or the birth of a child; specific durations for the public sector include 5 days for marriage and 3 days for the birth of a child. Regarding medical leave, indemnity for non-work-related accidents or common illnesses is calculated based on duration: 55% for up to 7 days, 65% for 8 to 14 days, and 75% for 15 days or more. Between February 1, 2026, and December 31, 2027, a special rule applies where the indemnity duration is calculated by reducing the total duration by one day. Recent data from the SD Worx HR & Payroll Pulse 2026 study indicates that Romanian employees report needing an average of 10 consecutive days of vacation for energy recovery, which is lower than the European average of 13 days.