Everyone in paid employment is legally entitled to four weeks of holiday per year. In other words: at four times your weekly number of working hours. So you work 32 hours a week? Then you are entitled to 128 holiday hours per year. These remain valid until 1 July the following year. On top of that, you often get extra statutory hours of leave – these remain valid for five years. Whether this applies to you and how many you will receive is stated in your contract or collective agreement.

You are entitled to vacation and must be given the opportunity to take your days. In principle, your employer must also approve your holiday request. He may only reject this if business operations are jeopardized by your absence - in which case he must notify this in writing within two weeks. Doesn't that happen? Then your application is in principle automatically approved. Always check your collective labor agreement or contract, as it may contain other agreements.