Paid vacations are a right guaranteed by the Paraguayan Labour Code and regulated by Resolution No. 1290/2024 of the Paraguayan Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MTESS). Knowing the provisions is key for private sector workers to be able to take advantage of this benefit, as well as for entrepreneurs to comply with the minimums and consider when going beyond them may be an attractive proposition in terms of recruiting and retaining staff. For this reason, we will tell you the details in this note.
The length of vacation depends on the employee’s seniority: those with 1 to 5 years of service are entitled to 12 working days; those with more than 5 to 10 years, 18 working days; and those with more than 10 years of seniority, 30 working days.
Vacations must be granted within six months of the right being fulfilled, and the employer must notify the employee at least 15 days in advance. Vacations can only be divided at the employee’s request, allowing them to be divided into two periods for those who have 12 days of entitlement, and up to three periods for those who have 18 or 30 days.
It is possible to accumulate vacations for up to two years, if the employee expressly requests it. Vacations can only be interrupted due to an urgent need of the employer, who must reimburse the employee for any expenses generated by the interruption within a maximum period of 48 hours after his/her return.
If the employment contract ends without the employee having enjoyed his or her vacation, this must be compensated in money. If the employer does not grant the vacation within the corresponding period, he or she is obliged to pay double the amount.
For more information or complaints, interested parties can go to the MTESS headquarters (Herrera esquina Paraguarí) in Asunción, to the Regional Labor Directorates in the interior of the country, or contact through telephone (021) 729 0100, WhatsApp (0993) 308 100, or through the MTESS institution’s website.
The MTESS reminds that knowing and exercising these rights is essential to guarantee the well-being of workers and promote fair labor relations in the country.
