Vacation
"You take holiday when I say!"
The boss determines the entire holiday timing alone and ignores your wishes.
§ 7 BUrlG
It depends …
Partly — your wishes count!
The employer must take your holiday wishes into account (§ 7 BUrlG) but may refuse for urgent operational reasons. Company holidays (e.g. Christmas) are permissible but may not use up all of your holiday. At least part must be freely plannable.
What the law says
§ 7 BUrlG – Timing, transfer
When scheduling holiday, the employee's holiday wishes must be taken into account, unless urgent operational reasons or the holiday wishes of other employees, who deserve priority on social grounds, conflict with them.
What you can do
- Always submit your holiday wishes in writing (email = proof).
- Company holiday is okay but may not use up your entire entitlement.
- Make a compromise proposal if there are conflicts.
- If your wishes are refused without reason: involve the works council or IHK.
Email template for your trainer
Subject: Holiday planning and consideration of holiday wishes
Dear [name of trainer],
regarding the holiday planning for [period/year], I would like to submit my wishes.
Under § 7 BUrlG, employees' holiday wishes must be taken into account when scheduling holiday. I would like to take my holiday in the period [preferred period].
I am happy to coordinate with my colleagues to find a solution that works well for everyone.
Kind regards
[Your name]
More cases: Vacation
- Your holiday is cancelled!
- You only get 20 days' holiday, you don't need more.
- Tough luck, your holiday days are gone.
- You take a week off at most!
- No vacation until after probation.
- Just take vacation on your school day.
- Your remaining leave expires on 31 December.
- Forget your remaining leave at the end of the training.
- You have to take vacation for the funeral.
- Educational leave? Not for trainees.