What Happens to Unused Vacation Leave?
In the Joined Cases C-569/16 (Bauer) and C-570/16 (Willmeroth), decided last month, the Court of Justice of the European Union had to decide whether the widows of two workers were entitled, as sole heirs, to demand from their spouses' previous employers an allowance in lieu of annual leave which had not been availed of by their spouses. The Court ruled that the worker's right to paid annual leave, which it emphasised constitutes an essential principle of EU social law, does not terminate upon his death. The reason for termination of the employment relationship is not relevant as regards the entitlement…
Christine Calleja7th December 2018