Summer Vacations: How to Avoid Workplace Conflicts When Managing Shifts

The summer season often brings up some of the most sensitive issues in labor relations, particularly regarding vacation planning and time off. Although the Workers’ Statute establishes the basic rules, day-to-day practice gives rise to questions and conflicts regarding the selection of dates, overlapping requests, or the possibility of carrying over days off to another year.

In this context, Laura Guillén, a director in the labor law department, analyzes some of the most widespread beliefs regarding paid time off in an article published in El País. The expert clarifies that “a company cannot impose a practice whereby it chooses 50% of employees’ vacation time if this option is not provided for in the collective bargaining agreement,” noting that the allocation of vacation periods must comply with the provisions of applicable regulations and collective bargaining agreements.

Laura also addresses one of the most common questions regarding the accumulation of unused vacation days. In this regard, she notes that “there is a belief that vacation days from the current calendar year do not expire on December 31 and that they can be taken in the following calendar year.” However, she cautions that “while this is common practice, it is not an acquired right,” and therefore recommends that companies specify in their internal policies the maximum time limits for taking vacation days and the consequences of failing to do so within the established period.