Working time
Chapter VIII of Part II of the new Labour Code of the Republic of Lithuania, which came into force on 1 July 2017, regulates working time and rest time.
In new Labour code five working regimes are being introduced: fixed duration of workdays/shifts and number of working days per week; summary working time recording, when the standard working hours for the entire reference period are fulfilled during the reference period; a flexible working schedule where an employee is required to be present at the workplace for certain hours of the workday/shift, but can work the other hours of the workday/shift before or after the required hours; split shifts, when work is done on the same day/shift with a break to rest and eat that is longer than the established maximum length for breaks to rest and eat; individualised working time regimes.
Average working time including overtime is 48 hours per week; maximum working time including overtime and additional work is 12 hours per day and 60 hours per week.
Maximum overtime – eight hours per week or 12 hours per week if the employee agrees; maximum annual overtime – 180 hours.
Summary working time recording shall be introduced where necessary, following information and consultation with the work council and taking the opinion of the trade union into account.
The reference period for summary working time may not exceed three months.
When using summary working time, the maximum working time per week is 52 hours, without additional work and not applying this maximum working time to on-call duty.
The reference period for night work is three months.
Rest time
Annual leave will be calculated in terms of working days.
Annul leave – 20 working days (for those who work five days per week), or 24 working days (for those who work six days per week).
Employees under the age of 18, employees who are single parents raising a child under the age of 14 or a disabled child under the age of 18, and disabled employees entitled to 25 working days (for those who work five days per week), or 30 working days (for those who work six days per week) of annual leave.
Additional leave for continuous employment: three working days for continuous employment of 10 years, and another working day for every five years of continuous employment thereafter.
Employees whose work involves greater nervous, emotional or mental tension and occupational risk, as well those who have specific working conditions, are given up to 41 working days (for those who work five days per week), or up to 50 working days (for those who work six days per week), or up to eight weeks (if the number of working days per week is less or different) of extended leave.
Educational employees, researchers, creative workers at professional performing arts institutions, health care professionals, pharmacy specialists, employees in the field of social services, pilots, seafarers, fishermen, Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant employees, and so on.
The employer must provide 14 days of pregnancy and childbirth leave immediately after childbirth, even if the employee does not request it.
Paternity leave: 30 calendar days at any time until the child reaches the age of one year.
For employees attending non-formal adult education programmes, up to five working days of educational leave are provided per year to attend non-formal adult education programmes.
For employees who have had an employment relationship with the employer for more than five years, at least half of the employee’s salary is left for educational leave (for formal or non-formal education) of up to 10 working days per working year if participation in the non-formal adult education programme is related to the employee’s professional development.
Creative leave of up to 12 months is permitted for employees to pursue creative or scientific endeavours.
Unpaid free time may be granted during the workday for the employee to take care of personal needs. The employee may agree with the employer to move working time to another workday/shift, as long as the maximum working time and minimum rest time requirements are not infringed upon.
Employees raising a disabled child under the age of 18 or two children under the age of 12 are given one extra day off per month, and those raising three or more children under the age of 12 are given two extra days off per month, paying them their average wage.
