Annual leave under Georgian Labor Code (Articles 24-26)
Also known as: Georgia annual leave, Georgia vacation days, Georgia paid leave entitlement, წლიური შვებულება საქართველო
Under Article 24 of the Georgian Labor Code, every employee is entitled to a minimum of 24 working days of paid annual leave per year. Article 25 adds 15 additional days for hazardous, harmful, or specially-conditioned work. Article 26 governs how leave is requested, scheduled, and paid out — including the rule that leave compensation must equal the employee's average wage and be paid in advance of the leave period.
Annual leave is the most commonly misunderstood section of the Georgian Labor Code. Foreign employers operating in Georgia routinely default to the EU "20 working days" baseline; Georgia is more generous (24 working days statutory minimum). Domestic employers sometimes assume the 24 days are calendar rather than working days. Both errors create exposure. This article walks through what Articles 24-26 actually require, when each rule applies, and how leave compensation is calculated.
The 24 working days baseline (Article 24)
Article 24 sets the statutory minimum at 24 working days per calendar year — counted in working days (the 5-day workweek by default), not calendar days. A standard 5-day-workweek employee gets nearly five calendar weeks off per year. The contract can offer more; it cannot offer less. Accrual begins from the first day of employment, so a new hire starting mid-year accrues a pro-rated share. The Code does not specify the exact accrual formula, but the standard implementation is `24 ÷ 12 × months worked` (rounded to nearest day) — codified by most Georgian payroll providers as monthly accrual.
The 15-day addition for hazardous work (Article 25)
Article 25 adds 15 additional working days of paid leave for employees engaged in "hazardous, harmful, or specially-conditioned" work. The Code references the Government of Georgia's list of qualifying job categories — historically including underground mining, certain construction roles, work with hazardous chemicals, and specific medical/healthcare exposures. If your role appears on the list, the entitlement is 24 + 15 = 39 working days per year. Misapplying Article 25 (claiming hazardous status when not on the list, or omitting it when it applies) is a common audit finding.
How leave is requested and approved (Article 26)
- Leave dates are agreed between employee and employer (the Code does not give either party unilateral scheduling authority)
- The employer cannot deny leave indefinitely — must accommodate within the calendar year
- Leave can be split into segments (most commonly: one main segment ≥7 days, plus shorter segments)
- Compensation must equal the employee's average wage over the preceding period
- Payment must be made in advance of the leave (typically with the last regular paycheck before leave begins)
- Unused leave does NOT lapse — it carries over, with limits in some interpretations
Public holidays during annual leave
Public holidays falling within an employee's annual leave period do NOT count against the leave entitlement. They are added to the leave duration, so the employee effectively gets their full 24 working days plus the holiday. This is particularly relevant when planning leave around April (Orthodox Easter cluster — 4 consecutive public holidays from Good Friday through Easter Monday) or January (New Year + Christmas + Epiphany cluster). See our [Georgian public holidays 2026 reference] for the full calendar.
Carry-over and pay-out at termination
The Code does not provide a single explicit rule for carry-over of unused annual leave to the next year. Practice varies: some employers permit unlimited carry-over (which creates accruing liability on the balance sheet); others cap it at the next year's entitlement (so 24 days carry, but anything beyond is paid out or forfeited per the employment contract). At termination, unused accrued leave must be paid out at the average-wage rate — this is one of the most common labor-court claims when terminations are disputed.
Frequently asked questions
- How many days of annual leave do employees get in Georgia?
- 24 working days per year is the statutory minimum under Article 24. An additional 15 working days applies for employees in roles on the government's hazardous/harmful work list (Article 25). Contracts can specify more leave but not less.
- Is 24 days counted as working days or calendar days?
- Working days. For a standard 5-day workweek, 24 working days corresponds to nearly five calendar weeks off. Public holidays falling within the leave period do not count against the 24.
- Can unused annual leave be carried over to next year?
- The Labor Code does not provide a single explicit rule. Most employers permit carry-over with a cap (typically the next year's entitlement). The employment contract or company policy should specify the rule clearly.
- Must unused leave be paid out at termination?
- Yes. Article 26 requires compensation for unused accrued annual leave at termination, calculated at the employee's average wage rate over the preceding period.
- When must leave compensation be paid?
- In advance of the leave period — typically with the last regular paycheck before leave begins. Paying leave compensation after the leave has ended is a common Article 26 violation.
- How are public holidays handled during annual leave?
- Public holidays falling within an employee's annual leave do not count against the 24-day entitlement. The leave is extended by the equivalent number of public holidays.