Leave Policy in Belarus

Belarus offers multiple types of paid and unpaid leave to employees. The Labor Code, the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus, trade union laws, and labor migration laws determine most employment legislation in the country.

When hiring in Belarus, complying with these complex laws can be tricky. You must consider regulations when creating contracts, managing workers, and making payments to avoid legal issues or financial penalties. One significant issue to consider is how much leave Belarusian employees are entitled to. They have some of the longest maternity leave in the world, along with other unique legislation, which is essential to understand when making a new hire.

But don’t let a confusing leave policy in Belarus stop you from accessing top talent from the country’s educated population. As your global employment and payroll platform, Skuad can help you navigate leave and other regulations when hiring in Belarus all from one place. Get started today.

Holiday Leave in Belarus

In Belarus, workers receive up to 24 days of paid vacation leave each year. Employees can divide this leave into two distinct parts, but the first period must be at least two weeks long. Employees must have worked continuously for at least six months to qualify for the paid holiday.

Employers must pay workers their annual leave payments at least one day before the start of the vacation period. Unused days of paid time off in Belarus can be carried forward into the following year without limits.

Public Holidays

Belarus observes nine public holidays on which workers don’t have to work. The President of the Republic of Belarus establishes public holidays in Belarus. If one of the public holidays is on a Saturday, an additional day may be added to allow for longer holiday periods.

Belarus Public Holiday Calendar 2023

Some of these dates could be subject to change as official records are updated.

Types of Leave in Belarus

Aside from vacation and holiday observances, there are several other types of leave you need to know when hiring in Belarus.

Sick Leave

Employees in Belarus are entitled to paid sick leave. Sick leave in Belarus counts as social insurance and is covered by Social Security. Employees must show a medical certificate to qualify for the leave, and payment for unworked days is typically paid the following month.

Belarus sick leave is paid at

• 80% of the full wage for 12 days
• 100% of the full wage for any additional days after the thirteenth day

The maximum sickness benefit one person can claim per month is 300% of the national average monthly wage. Benefits for sick days in Belarus should typically be paid in Belarusian rubles. If you are an employer hiring Belarusian workers from outside, a global HR platform like Skuad can help you manage currency conversions and payments in local currencies and bank accounts.

Maternity Leave

Belarus offers some of the world’s longest maternity leave. To respond to an aging population, the country has implemented multiple measures to help boost the birth rate and increase the population. Paid maternity leave in Belarus is one of the most significant aids to support mothers and families.

Maternity leave in Belarus is the following:

• 126 days of paid maternity leave
• 140 days of paid maternity leave if there are medical complications or if there are two or more children born
• Three years of unpaid maternity leave where the job position must be available for the mother to return at any point during this time
• If a mother gives birth to another child within this time frame, the entitlement starts again

The payments for maternity leave are as follows:

• 100% of the average monthly earnings for working women
• 100% of the education grant for students who are on leave from employment
• 100% of the unemployment benefit for women that are unemployed

The minimum benefit is 50% of the national average living wage, and the maximum is three times the national average wage before the time of birth and leave.

Paternity Leave

Fathers also have the right to take three-year paternity leave in Belarus. As this leave is only granted to one parent, the family must decide which parent will take it. The leave is quite flexible, and parents can choose to divide this up into periods of different lengths.

A father or stepfather is entitled to:

• 14 days of paid leave within six months of the child being born
• Annual leave in the summer when they have a child under 18 with disabilities
• Annual leave within six months of a job when they have two or more children under 14 or a child under 18 with disabilities

Parental Leave

Both parents and guardians have the right to take parental leave for up to three years. If there are more than two children in the family, then only one parent can take leave. Parents must choose which individual will use the leave. This law was introduced to allow working or studying women the option to continue. If the mother or father does not use parental leave, it can also go to a stepmother or other relative.

Family Care Leave

Working mothers or fathers are also entitled to take days of paid leave each month to care for their children in these specific circumstances.

• One day of paid leave per month for a parent with a child under 18 with a disability to be paid for through Social Security funds
• One day of paid leave per week for parents with three or more children under the age of 16 or a child under 18 with a disability to be paid for by the employer

This leave is paid at 100% of the average earnings.

Adoption Leave

When adoptive parents adopt a child they become eligible for 70 days of paid adoption leave. This adoption grant is considered social insurance and Belarusian Social Security covers the costs. Beneficiaries may begin receiving the payment from the thirtieth week from when the child is adopted.

Similarly to maternity leave, adoption leave is also 100% of the average wages, grant, or employment benefit earned by the beneficiary. The minimum benefit can be half of the national average living wage, and the maximum can be three times that amount.

Work Injury Leave

Workers who suffer accidents at work are entitled to paid work injury leave in Belarus. This is covered by Social Security which is funded through employer contributions between 0.3% and 0.9% of payroll. Qualifying issues include injuries sustained in the workplace or occupational diseases.

If workers’ temporary disabilities mean they are unable to work, then they are entitled to the following:

• 100% of the worker’s average daily earnings before the accident happened to be paid until recovery
• Benefits could be reduced by as much as 50% if gross negligence by the injured party caused the accident

If workers sustain permanent disabilities through a workplace accident, they will receive a permanent disability pension that matches the average earnings from before the accident. They will also be eligible for a permanent disability grant of up to six times the value of the pension.

Bereavement Leave

In Belarus, workers are granted two days of bereavement leave due to the death or life-threatening illness of a family member or spouse.

Survivor Benefits

While a Survivor Benefit is paid regardless of working capacity, survivors, including widows, widowers, children under 18, students up to 23, old age pensioners, people with disabilities, and those with dependents can receive a lump sum survivor grant at 12 times the national average wage, in the case of the death of someone they were dependent on.

What Leave is Not Specified in Belarus?

Some types of leave are not specified in Belarus, such as Jury Duty Leave, Military Leave, or Voting Leave. As these types of leave are not specified by law, you can consider this at your discretion as an employer. Skuad can help you create competitive leave packages and worker benefits.

What are the Employer Costs for Leave in Belarus?

Social Security in Belarus usually funds paid statutory leave in Belarus. Employers must make contributions towards Social Security each month which constitute 34% of an employee's gross salary. Another contribution of 0.6% goes towards workplace insurance and covers workplace accidents and injuries. Employees and self-employed workers will also need to make contributions towards Social Security.

Comply with Leave Requirements in Belarus

The first step to ensuring full compliance with Belarusian employment law is understanding the leave requirements in Belarus. But if you work with employees in multiple countries, keeping up with unique regulations worldwide can quickly get tricky. The most stress-free solution to stay fully compliant is to work with a Global employment and payroll platform like Skuad.

Skuad has Employer of Record services in Belarus, meaning you can begin hiring in the country immediately without needing to set up an entity. Skuad’s local expertise in Belarus (and other countries worldwide) helps you comply with Belarusian employment laws and leave requirements automatically through the platform.