From 2026, employees in Greece’s private sector will see significant changes in how annual leave is managed, with new rules introducing greater flexibility but also stricter enforcement of unused entitlements.
The reforms aim to modernize leave arrangements while maintaining a balance between employee rights and employer operational needs.
More flexible “split” holiday leave
One of the key changes is the introduction of more flexible annual leave distribution. Employees will now be able to divide their holiday entitlement into multiple periods throughout the year, rather than taking it in a single continuous block.
However, each individual leave period must be at least five working days. While this provides greater flexibility for workers, final approval of leave requests remains with the employer, meaning coordination between both parties will still be required.
Previously, leave could only be split into limited segments, with one continuous period of at least 10 working days in most cases. The new system is designed to replace this structure with a more adaptable model.
Strict deadline and double pay rule
A major compliance deadline has also been set. By March 31, 2026, all leave corresponding to the previous year must have been taken. If this does not happen, employers will be required to pay employees double wages for any unused days.
This “double pay” rule is intended to ensure that employees actually take their entitled rest periods, while also discouraging delays or administrative bottlenecks within companies.
Any agreement that removes an employee’s right to take leave without compensation will be considered invalid under the new framework.
Reduced bureaucracy for businesses
Another change affects administrative procedures. From 2026, employers will no longer be required to pre-declare annual leave in the digital labor system previously used for tracking employment data.
This is expected to simplify processes for businesses while maintaining core protections for workers.
