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Leave in Georgia
Maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Georgia
Adoption leave in Georgia
Other types of leave in Germany
Public holidays in Germany
Protect your employees and your business
Leave and time off in Georgia
Employees in Georgia are entitled to various forms of paid and unpaid leave, as outlined in the country’s Labour Code. These legal entitlements help employees manage important life events, from holidays and illness to childbirth and family responsibilities. To stay compliant, employers in Georgia must understand the minimum standards and ensure employees are able to take the leave they are entitled to. Many employers also choose to go beyond the statutory minimum and offer more generous leave policies.
In this section, we’ll cover everything you need to know about leave in Georgia. That includes annual leave, sick leave, maternity, paternity, and parental leave, as well as public holidays and other types of leave such as adoption, bereavement, and military service. We’ll explain the rules around pay, eligibility, and how different types of leave can be taken.
Leave in Georgia
Employees in Georgia have the right to at least a certain amount of paid and unpaid time off each year for holidays and relaxation. They also have the right to take time off if they are too ill to work. Read on to learn what employers need to know about leave in Georgia.
Annual leave in Georgia
Employees in Georgia are entitled to a statutory minimum of 24 working days of paid leave per year. They also have the right to take up to 15 working days of unpaid leave. Employees who work under hazardous, arduous, or harmful conditions are given an additional 10 calendar days of paid leave per year to account for these factors. Individual employment contracts may provide different conditions for annual leave in Georgia, but employers may not provide less generous conditions than those laid out in the country’s Labour Code.
Accruing and using annual leave in Georgia
In general, employees in Georgia have the right to use their annual leave when they have worked for their employer for at least 11 months. However, employers can agree to let their employees begin using their leave earlier than this. From the second year of work, employees can generally use their leave at any time during the working year.
In general, unused annual leave is not carried over into the following year in Georgia. However, if allowing an employee to use their leave would have a negative impact on business operations, the leave may be carried over to the next year as long as the employee consents. Paid leave cannot be carried over for more than two consecutive years.
Sick leave in Georgia
In Georgia, employees are entitled to paid sick leave during periods of temporary incapacity for work. Employers are obligated to pay the employee’s regular salary for up to 40 consecutive calendar days or a total of 60 calendar days within a six-month period. To qualify for paid sick leave, employees must provide a medical certificate from an authorised physician starting from the first day of absence. After the first 40 days of sick leave, the employer may choose not to compensate the employee for the additional days or even consider termination of the employment contract.
Maternity, paternity, and parental leave in Georgia
“Employees in Georgia have the right to time off work when they or their partner has a baby. Read on to learn what employers need to know about the various types of parental leave in Georgia.
Maternity leave in Georgia
Mothers in Georgia are entitled to 126 days of pregnancy and childbirth leave when they have a child. They can choose how to split this leave between the periods before and after the birth. In the case of complications during childbirth or multiple births, the entitlement is extended to 143 calendar days.
Paternity and parental leave in Georgia
Employees in Georgia can request parental leave of up to 604 calendar days. This can be used by either parent or split between them. There is no specific right to paternity leave in Georgia, though fathers can use any days of maternity leave that are not taken by the mother of the child.
Employees can also request up to 12 weeks of additional parental leave until the child turns five years old. This can be taken all at once or in blocks of at least two weeks per year. Employees in Georgia must notify their employers at least two weeks in advance if they want to take maternity or parental leave.
Pay for parental leave in Georgia
Employees in Georgia have the right to receive pay for the entirety of their maternity leave. While parental leave is not paid in its entirety, employees can receive pay for 57 calendar days. This is funded through the social security system as an allowance of up to GEL 1,000. However, employers can agree to compensate their employees at a higher rate as an additional employee benefit.”
Adoption leave in Georgia
Employees in Georgia who adopt an infant under the age of 12 months are entitled to a total of 550 calendar days of leave from the birth of the child. This is known as newborn adoption leave in Georgia. Of these days, 90 calendar days are paid through a cash allowance provided by the state. This allowance cannot exceed GEL 1,000 in total, though employers may agree to pay additional compensation to an employee on leave.
Other types of leave in Germany
Employees in Georgia may be entitled to various other types of leave under labour laws, collective bargaining agreements, and individual employment contracts. Here are some of the different types of leave you might come across as an employer in Georgia.
Study leave in Georgia
Many Georgian employers offer leave (paid or unpaid) to pursue professional development or formal education, often ranging from a few days to several weeks per year. Such arrangements bolster workforce skills and are commonly included in employment or collective agreements.
Bereavement leave in Georgia
Employers typically grant a short period of paid leave (often 2–3 days) following the death of an immediate family member, allowing employees time to attend funerals and manage affairs. Though not mandated by law, this practice is entrenched in local business custom and supported by many HR policies in Georgia.
Leave for state or public duties in Georgia
Employees called up for military service, jury duty, or other civic responsibilities are entitled to job-protected leave for the required period, with reinstatement rights upon return. This leave is generally unpaid.
Unpaid leave in Georgia
Employees in Georgia may request additional unpaid leave for personal reasons, such as family care or travel, which employers grant at their discretion. The duration and terms of unpaid leave are set by mutual agreement and typically documented in internal HR policies.
Public holidays in Germany
There are around 18 public holidays each year in Georgia, established by the Labour Code and government decrees. These include fixed dates and movable Orthodox observances like Good Friday and Easter Monday. When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday in Georgia, it is not automatically carried over to the next working day—employees simply lose the paid day off unless their employer’s internal policy provides otherwise.
Are public holidays paid days off in Georgia?
Public holidays in Georgia are generally paid days off for employees, who must be paid at their normal daily rate. Any work performed on these days must be treated as overtime under the Labour Code. It’s common to pay overtime at double pay or to provide compensatory time off for any hours worked.
Public holidays in Georgia in 2025
Here are the public holidays observed in Georgia in 2025:
1 January
New Year’s Day
2 January
Second Day of New Year.
7 January
Orthodox Christmas Day.
19 January
Orthodox Epiphany
3 March
Mothers’ Day.
8 March
International Women’s Day
9 April
Independence Restoration Day.
18 April
Orthodox Good Friday
19 April
Orthodox Holy Saturday
20 April
Orthodox Easter Sunday.
21 April
Orthodox Easter Sunday.
9 May
Victory Day
12 May
St Andrew’s Day
17 May
Day of Family Purity and Respect for Parents
26 May
Independence Day
28 August
Day of the Assumption of Mary
14 October
Svetitskhovloba
23 November
St George’s Day
Protect your employees and your business
As an employer in Georgia, you need to understand your employees’ rights and entitlements. But keeping up with them can be a lot of work.
When you hire workers with CXC, we’ll ensure your engagements are in line with all local, national and international employment regulations. That way, your workers will get their benefits they’re entitled to, and your business will be protected from risk.
Compliantly hire employees anywhere with CXC
With our EoR solution, you can engage workers anywhere in the world, without putting your business at risk. No more worrying about local labour laws, tax legislation or payroll customs — we’ve got you covered.
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