The House of Representatives voted into legislation an amendment allowing workers to apply for paid leave from their first month of employment.
Previously, to legally qualify for paid leave, employees had to have worked for the same employer for at least thirteen weeks, a provision that was in conflict with an EU Directive dating back to 1993.
The amendments also remove a provision stipulating that if employees did not complete 13 weeks of work at the same company, then the leave they had accrued would be lost.
The changes to the law were passed by an overwhelming majority in Parliament last week. There was only one vote against.
According to the law, employees are entitled to a minimum of four weeks of annual paid leave, namely at least 20 days for those working five days per week, and at least 24 days for those working six days per week.
Now, under the amended bill, employees will be able to accrue leave days from their first day of employment, even if they do not complete 13 weeks at the same company.