By entering into an employment relationship, a worker acquires the right to annual leave, which is one of employee's fundamental social rights. Employees receive all or a proportionate share of it, in addition the right to recourse and the right to a salary supplement. The purpose of the annual leave entitlement is only realised when employees have taken their annual leave. Employees may take their annual leave in one or more instalments. If the employee does not take all the leave in the current calendar year, he/she has the option of carrying it over to the following calendar year. National legislation follows the case-law of the EU when it comes to the carry-over of part of untaken annual leave for unlawful failure by the employer to fulfil an obligation, for sick leave, parental leave or for other legitimate reasons on the side of the worker. However, the institution of compensation for untaken annual leave can only be applied in the event of termination of the employment contract. Organising the use of annual leave can be complicated, which has raised the question of what legal possibilities employers have to unilaterally order annual leave.
In my thesis, I have analysed the legal sources governing the right to paid annual leave and other professional literature to find out how the right to take annual leave is regulated and what legal possibilities employers have to unilaterally order annual leave. My research has shown that workers have several options for taking annual leave, but always on the basis of an agreement with their employer. Both the employer and the employee cannot decide arbitrarily when the employee takes annual leave, but must take into account the needs of the employee, the needs of the work process and the very purpose and aim of the right to paid annual leave.
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