Portugal's New Holiday Policy: What You Need to Know About the Proposed Changes

Proposed Changes to Public Sector Holiday Regulations

The Portuguese Government aims to reform public sector holiday regulations by adopting a provision from the Labour Code that mandates the allocation of peak holiday periods. This adjustment will extend the consideration period from the last two years to four years.

According to the proposal submitted to unions such as FESAP, Frente Comum, and STE, "In scheduling holidays, the most sought-after periods must be allocated whenever possible, benefiting workers alternately based on the periods taken in the past four years."

This initiative follows earlier discussions in an amendment to the State Budget, where the PSD and CDS parties suggested aligning public sector holiday rules with those in the Labour Code, which currently considers only the previous two years.

Union Reactions

The Fesap union acknowledges that the proposed changes make some sense but warns that regulating the allocation of holidays might lead to increased conflict. The secretary-general of Fesap stated that if the government had been more transparent from the start, it could have avoided speculation around the legislative requests.

He emphasized that more regulation in this area could lead to greater tension, noting that there has been no disruption in services due to workers taking holidays.

Health Justification

Regarding health justification, the proposal allows for sick leave to be validated not just by the National Health Service (SNS) but also by private entities. This change is seen as beneficial, particularly for those under the convergent social protection regime, as it extends deadlines, alleviating the pressure on public employees to constantly seek medical board approvals.

Minor Adjustments Acknowledged

Both STE and Frente Comum view the government's proposed changes as minor but plan to analyze them to understand their implications better. They pointed out that while the adjustments concerning holiday justification and strike notice are not significant, the proposed changes regarding employee mobility have raised more questions.

Maria Helena Rodrigues, president of STE, noted that the mobility adjustments could involve a three-year commitment period, which needs closer examination.

Transparency Issues

Criticism has been directed at the government for its lack of initial transparency in introducing legislative requests within the 2025 State Budget proposal without clearly outlining its intentions. The unions stress that clearer communication from the outset could have prevented misunderstandings regarding these crucial issues.

In terms of strike rights, the proposal aims to make it mandatory for strike notices to be sent electronically to the DGAEP (Directorate-General for Public Administration and Employment).

The next negotiation meeting on these matters is scheduled for November 26.