Annual leave for café staff in Ireland: 4 weeks, 8% or 1,365 hours

Citizens Information says: "Most employees are entitled to 4 working weeks' of annual leave each year." That covers "full-time, part-time, temporary and casual workers". There are 3 ways to work it out: 1,365 hours worked in the leave year, 1/3 of a working week for each month with at least 117 hours worked, or 8% of hours worked, up to a maximum of 4 working weeks. The employee gets whichever method gives the greater entitlement. Citizens Information says that for part-time workers it is generally the 8% method, so a part-timer gets 8% of the hours they worked. The rules are in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.

How much annual leave do café staff get in Ireland?

Most employees get 4 working weeks a year. Citizens Information says this is set out in the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 (as amended) and is known as the statutory entitlement. The Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) says all employees "earn annual leave entitlements from the time they start work".

A "working week" is the days you usually work. Citizens Information gives the example: "if you usually work 3 days a week for 10 hours on each day (30 hours), your annual leave week is also 3 days (30 hours)." It says an employer might give more, and that you can check your contract. The WRC says any additional entitlement "will be stated in the employee's written terms of employment". The statutory leave year runs from 1 April to 31 March, though Citizens Information says many employers use the calendar year, and that this does not affect your statutory entitlements.

How is annual leave calculated?

There are 3 methods, and the employee gets the best one. Citizens Information says: "You can use whichever method gives you the greater (biggest) entitlement." The WRC says the same: the employee "shall be entitled to whichever method provides the greater entitlement". Here are the three:

• Method 1: "If you have worked at least 1,365 hours in a leave year ... you are entitled to the maximum of 4 working weeks' paid annual leave." You cannot use this method if you changed employment during the leave year.
• Method 2: "Calculate 1/3 of a working week for each calendar month in which you worked at least 117 hours."
• Method 3: "Calculate 8% of the hours you worked in the leave year, subject to a maximum of 4 working weeks."

The WRC adds that the most anyone can have by law is four of their normal working weeks. Citizens Information says your employer should count all the hours you worked, including time on annual leave, certified sick leave, maternity leave, parental leave, force majeure leave, adoptive leave or the first 13 weeks of carer's leave. If you have worked for at least 8 months, it says you are entitled to an unbroken period of 2 weeks' annual leave.

How much annual leave do part-time staff get?

Generally 8% of the hours they work. Citizens Information says: "Generally, annual leave for part-time workers is calculated using Method 3 above. This means you can get 8% of your hours worked." The same page says that if you work full time for some months and part time for the rest of the year, you should calculate the leave for the full-time and part-time periods separately.

Here is our own arithmetic on that 8%, not an example from the sources. Someone who works 20 hours a week for 26 weeks has worked 520 hours in the leave year. 8% of 520 is 41.6 hours of leave. Over a full year at 20 hours a week the hours would be 1,040, and 8% of that is 83.2, which is more than 4 of their 20-hour weeks (80 hours). The maximum of 4 working weeks applies, so the answer there is 80 hours.

When is annual leave taken, and who decides?

The employer decides, with conditions. Citizens Information says: "Your employer decides when annual leave may be taken, but this is subject to some conditions." The employer must consider your family responsibilities and the available opportunities for rest and recreation, and discuss your annual leave with you (or your union) at least one month before you are to take it. Employees can ask for specific times, and Citizens Information says the employer can accept or refuse.

The WRC puts it this way: the employer determines the timing "taking into consideration work and personal requirements" and should consult the employee or union in advance. On carrying leave over, Citizens Information says: "Annual leave should be taken within the leave year. Depending on your employer, you can agree to take your annual leave within 6 months of the relevant leave year." Any further carry-over would need to be agreed between you and your employer.

Is annual leave paid at the normal rate, and when?

Yes, and in advance. Citizens Information says: "Holiday pay (pay for annual leave) must be paid in advance at your normal weekly rate." The WRC says pay for the leave "must be given in advance and calculated at the employee's normal weekly rate".

If your pay changes from week to week, for example because of commission or bonus payments, Citizens Information says your holiday pay is the average of your pay over the 13 weeks before you take holidays.

Can an employee be paid instead of taking leave?

Only when the job ends. The WRC says that under the 1997 Act "an employer is not permitted to pay an allowance in lieu of the minimum statutory holiday entitlements of an employee, unless the employment relationship is terminated." If the employee is leaving, they are entitled to payment for any outstanding annual leave.

Citizens Information says the same: "If you are leaving a job without taking all the annual leave you are entitled to, your employer must pay you for the days you have not taken." Both pages also cover long-term illness: leave untaken because of illness can be carried over for up to 15 months after the end of the leave year it was earned.

What about public holidays?

They are separate from annual leave. Citizens Information and the WRC both say there are ten public holidays each year. Citizens Information says: "Full-time workers have immediate entitlement to benefit for public holidays and part-time workers have entitlement to benefit when they have worked a total of 40 hours in the previous 5 weeks." The employer picks which of four benefits you get: a paid day off on the day, a paid day off within a month, an additional day of annual leave, or an additional day's pay. For what staff get when the café is open on a public holiday, see our article on bank holiday hours for a café. Paid leave also has to be in the written statement an employer gives within a month of starting, as we cover in our article on written terms of employment.

Sources

• Citizens Information, Annual leave, page edited 14 August 2025, read 14 October 2026.
• Citizens Information, Public holidays, page edited 1 January 2026, read 14 October 2026.
• Workplace Relations Commission, Annual Leave, read 14 October 2026.
• Workplace Relations Commission, Public Holidays, read 14 October 2026.

This is a summary of public guidance read 14 October 2026, not legal advice. The Workplace Relations Commission has the final word. Cupán Studio builds websites for cafés in Ireland.