All About Employee Leave & PTO in Colombia
Learn what you need to know about leave requirements in Colombia and how Justworks EOR can help you streamline hiring in Colombia.
How an EOR Can Help with Employee Leave & PTO in Colombia
Employees in different countries are entitled to different leave and vacation. When hiring in Colombia, Justworks EOR can offer localized guidance to help you understand the cultural nuances. With Justworks, you can feel confident your leave policies are within federal requirements and prospective employees’ expectations.
We’ll help you hire more quickly and manage HR tasks like running payroll, filing taxes, accessing benefits, staying on top of compliance, and more. Save time, money, and effort by minimizing the risks associated with hiring in an unfamiliar talent market like Colombia.
Employee Leave & PTO Expectations in Colombia
Employees in Colombia are entitled to mandatory annual leave, paid holidays, sick leave, maternity and paternity leave, and a few other miscellaneous types of leave after a year of employment.
Vacation Leave
All employees in Colombia are entitled to 15 days of vacation leave after one year of employment, and must take at least six days off per year per Colombian law. Employees who need to work for part of their vacation may resume their holiday for the rest of the original time. Any unused vacation days roll over for up to two years. Employees can request compensation for up to half of their unused vacation days, based on their last earned salary, by submitting a written request.
Sick Leave
If an employee gets sick, the employer pays 100% of their minimum monthly salary for the first two days off. After that, social security covers two-thirds of their salary for 90 days and 50% of their salary for an additional 90 days for a total of 180 days. Employees injured on the job can receive 100% of their salary.
Bereavement Leave
In the event of the death of a parent, in-law, grandparent, sibling, child, or spouse, employees are entitled to five days of paid bereavement leave.
Maternity & Paternity Leave
In Colombia, new mothers are entitled to 18 weeks of paid maternity leave. New fathers receive two weeks of paid paternity leave for both birth and adoption. Depending on the circumstances, paid paternity leave can be extended one week up to five weeks. Maternity and paternity leave are covered by social security.
All Other Leave
Employees are entitled to leave to vote, in cases of domestic emergencies, to carry out union work, or to attend the funeral of a colleague.
What HR Leaders Need to Know in Colombia
In Colombia, employees are entitled to paid time off on national holidays, no matter how long they've been employed. Smaller jurisdictions and townships in Colombia have additional holidays, so keep that in mind when hiring. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the public holiday is automatically transferred to the following Monday.
Public holidays in Colombia:
New Year's Day - January 1
Epiphany - 12 days after Christmas
Saint Joseph’s Day - 1st Monday after March 19
Maundy Thursday - Thursday before Easter Sunday
Good Friday - Friday before Easter
Labour Day - May 1
Ascension - 40th Day after Easter
Corpus Christi - 7th Sunday after Easter, but celebrated on the following Monday
Sacred Heart - 10 weeks and a day after Easter Sunday
Saint Peter and Saint Paul - June 29
Independence Day - July 20
Battle of Boyaca - August 7
The Day of the Race - 3rd Monday of October
All Saint’s Day - November 1
Independence of Caratenga - November 11
Immaculate Conception - December 8
Christmas Day - December 25
Ready to Hire Confidently in Colombia?
Justworks EOR makes building your global team seamless by offering local expertise to help you understand the nuances of the talent market in Colombia. Save yourself the time and hassle of international hiring today.
