Leave Policy in Malta

Earned Leave in Malta

In Malta, employees' annual leave entitlement depends on their working hours. A full-time employee working a standard 40-hour week receives 192 hours of annual leave. Additional leave is granted if public holidays fall on a weekend.

Leave is calculated pro rata for part-time employees or those who worked for less than 12 months (based on the time worked). Employers can offer more leave than the legal minimum but never less. However, there is no direct mention of compensatory leaves under any leave policy in Malta directly mentions compensatory leaves.

Using your leave:

• You and your employee must agree on when they take their leave.
• Employers cannot unreasonably refuse leave requests.
• Good communication helps maintain a positive work environment.

Carrying over leave:

• Employees must use their leave within the same year unless there is a written agreement.
• Without an agreement, unused leave cannot be carried forward.
• With an agreement, an employee can carry up to 50% of their leave to the next year only once.

Minimum leave usage:

• One must take at least 4 weeks (40 hours per week) of annual leave.
• The remaining 152 hours must also be used within the same year.
• If an employee leaves the job, unused leave can be paid out.

In 2025, employees working a 40-hour week will get 224 hours of paid leave. This includes 192 hours of basic leave plus 32 extra hours for weekend public holidays.

Maternity Leave in Malta

Working mothers are entitled to 18 weeks of maternity leave in Malta. For the first 14 weeks, the employer must pay their full basic salary. The government will pay for the last 4 weeks.

How maternity leave in Malta works:

• The mother must take at least 6 weeks after the birth or adoption of their child.
• It is recommended (but not required) to take 4 weeks before giving birth.

Parental Leave in Malta

Parental leave allows parents to take time off work to care for their young children after maternity or paternity leave. In Malta, it is called "Leave tal-Genituri." However, self-employed individuals cannot take parental leave.

Who can take Malta parental leave?

A father can take parental leave if they:

• Are an employee in Malta (with some conditions).
• Has worked for his employer for at least 12 months.
• Are a same-sex parent in the public sector (not the private sector).
• Are non-citizens (except asylum seekers).

How the parental leave policy in Malta works:

• Both mothers and fathers can take parental leave.
• They get 4 months of unpaid leave for each child.
• They must use the leave before their child turns 8.
• The leave must be taken in blocks of at least 1 month at a time.
• If they change jobs, their unused parental leave moves with them, and they do not get a new entitlement.

Also, both parents get childcare leave each year for 4 months until the child turns 8.

Paternity Leave in Malta

The Malta paternity leave is for employed fathers and second parents. It allows them to take time off work when their child is born or adopted. 

Under this leave policy in Malta, an employee gets 10 working days of paid leave. In the meantime, you can claim a refund from the Department of Social Security.

Adoption Leave in Malta

If someone adopts a child, they are entitled to 18 weeks of adoption leave to care for their child. 

The leave starts on the day they legally take custody of the child. However, they must write to their employer at least 2 weeks before the leave begins.

This adoption leave policy in Malta varies based on the working status of the parents:

Under this policy, the employer pays the employee the full amount for the first 14 weeks. After that, the last four weeks either remain unpaid (unless agreed upon with the employer) or are covered by Social Security benefits.

Public Holidays in Malta

Malta has 14 public holidays each year. These are divided into national holidays and religious holidays. These are:

Employees in Malta are entitled to these public holidays as paid days off. If a holiday falls on a weekend, no extra day off is given unless specified in an employment contract.

If a public holiday in Malta falls on a weekend, they do not get another day off unless their contract says otherwise. Some employers may offer extra benefits for working on public holidays.

Sick Leave Policy in Malta

Employees in Malta are entitled to 10 days (2 weeks) of paid sick leave per year. This sick leave in Malta falls under the Wage Regulation Order (WRO), which means:

• Only employees covered by WRO get a minimum of 10 days.
• Some employees may get better benefits if their contract allows.
• Part-time workers also get sick leave, but it is calculated pro rata.

To be eligible for this annual sick leave entitlement in Malta, one must submit a medical certificate from a doctor to the employer.

Casual Leave in Malta

Casual leave is short-term leave for personal reasons or emergencies. Unlike the annual leave policy in Malta, it is not a legal right under Maltese law but is usually included in company policies.

Unpaid Leave in Malta

Unpaid leave means time off without pay. During this period, employees do not earn leave or government bonuses. 

Malta's unpaid leave policy dictates that leave taken on public holidays forfeits the holiday entitlement.  Conversely, public holidays or non-working days (such as Saturdays) falling within an unpaid leave period are excluded from the leave calculation.

If someone takes unpaid leave, their annual leave is reduced based on their work hours. The formula to calculate deduction is:

Unpaid Hours / 2080 × Annual Leave Entitlement

For example, if an employee takes 100 hours of unpaid leave, then

• 100 ÷ 2080 × 192 = 9.23 hours deducted from their annual leave.
• And the new leave balance will remain at 192 - 9.23 = 182.77 hours for the year.

However, this does not apply to unpaid sick leave.

Other leaves

There are different types of special leave available for employees in Malta, such as:

• Birth Leave: Employees get one day off with pay on their child's birth unless covered by a different Wage Regulation Order (WRO).‍
• Bereavement Leave: If a close family member, like a spouse, sibling, or parent, passes away, employees can take one day off as bereavement leave in Malta. Some WROs may offer more days.‍
• Marriage Leave: Employees can take two paid days off for their wedding unless their WRO states otherwise.‍
• Injury Leave: Employees injured at work can take up to one year of paid leave if they follow safety rules. A medical certificate is required.‍
• Jury Service Leave: Employees are paid leave to attend jury duty. However, they must inform their employer in advance and provide proof.‍
• Quarantine Leave: Employees get paid leave if quarantined due to a health emergency like a pandemic.‍
• Urgent Family Leave: Employees can take up to 15 hours of annual family emergency leave in Malta. Part-time workers get leave on a pro-rata basis.

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FAQs

What is the leave entitlement in Malta?

In Malta, employees working a 40-hour week are entitled to 192 hours (24 days) of paid annual leave per year.

How many vacation days do you get in Malta?

Employees can get at least 192 hours (24 days) of paid annual leave in Malta annually. 

How many days of sick leave in Malta?

Full-time employees are entitled to 10 days of paid sick leave per year.

What is Malta's biggest holiday?

Malta's biggest holiday is the Feast of St. Paul's Shipwreck, celebrated on February 10th.

Do's and don'ts in Malta?

Provide unpaid leave when required, ensuring it follows the pro-rata leave deduction rules. Do not deny statutory leave, as employees have a legal right to leave entitlements.

How long is maternity leave in Malta?

Maternity leave in Malta is 18 weeks, with 14 weeks paid and the remaining 4 weeks unpaid.