Under the Annual Holidays with Pay Law, minimum annual leave with pay is set at four weeks (20 working days for employees working a five-day week and 24 working days for employees working a six day week). Where employees are entitled to a longer period of leave than that provided for by the annual paid leave legislation, by virtue of another law, a collective agreement, custom or a special agreement, the entitlement to that longer period of leave is protected.

Each enterprise determines the period in which its employees may take their annual leave, according to its requirements.

Government offices are closed on the following public holidays:

• 1 January
• 6 January – Epiphany
• Shrove Monday (variable date)
• 25 March
• 1 April
• Good Friday (variable date)
• Easter Monday (variable date)
• 1 May
• 15 August
• 1 October
• 28 October
• 25 December – Christmas Day
• 26 December

The holidays are not the same at all businesses. The holidays at each business have to be agreed by the employer and the employees or their representatives. The number of holidays (with pay) varies from 14 to 17 at businesses in Cyprus.

Further Information

• Social Insurance Services
  Tel: 22401772/685
• Department of Labour Relations
  Tel: 22401695/6

Text last edited on: 05/2005

Source: European Union
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