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Leave in the private sector
Can we postpone our unused paid leave after May 31?
Publié le 30 avril 2026 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)
Are you employed in the private sector? If you still have earned leave for the period from 1er June 2024 to May 31, 2025, you must take them before May 31, 2026. If you wish to postpone them, it is possible, but only with the agreement of your employer.
Paid leave is earned at the rate of 2.5 working days per month of actual work, during a reference period fixed of 1er June of the previous year to May 31 of the current year, under ordinary law. In principle, they must be taken before 31 May of the year following this period.
If earned leave with pay is not taken before the end of the reference period, it shall be considered lost. It is not possible to carry them over to the next reference period.
Example :
You have earned 15 days of paid leave as of May 31, 2025. These 15 days must be taken over the reference period from 1er June 2025 to May 31, 2026. If you applied for 7 days of paid leave on May 31, 2026, the remaining 8 days are lost and cannot be carried over to the next reference period (1er June 2026 to May 31, 2027).
If you still have earned leave for the period from 1er june 2024 to may 31, 2025, you must take them before 31 May 2026.
A collective agreement (company or branch) may provide for a different reference period, from 1er January to 31 December for example, or from 1er April to March 31 for the construction or entertainment sectors. The principle is the same, only the end date of the reference period changes.
If you have not taken all your days off before the end of the period, it is possible to postpone them, only with the agreement of your employer. Except as agreed or customary in the company providing for a postponement of such days, the employer shall not be obliged to accept the request for postponement of leave.
Your employer must also have your agreement if they want you to postpone your days after the leave period.
If you were unable to take your leave during the scheduled period due to an external constraint (sick leave, maternity or adoption leave, impossibility for organizational reasons at the request of your employer), you are entitled to the postponement of these days.
Employees who benefit from a time savings account (CET) may include entitlements arising from periods of leave or rest (RTT) not taken.
FYI
If your working time is fixed as a flat-rate day, an agreement (company or branch) may provide for the postponement of your leave until 31 December of the year after the year in which the period for taking such leave began.