--- title: "Part-time holiday entitlement: three-, four- and five-day weeks" description: "Understand how regular working days affect part-time holiday entitlement, with examples and common mistakes to avoid." language: "en" lastmod: "2026-10-17" canonical: "https://minutezilla.com/en/calculate-part-time-holiday-entitlement/" source: "generated" generator: "TYPO3 si_llms_txt" --- Software and apps # Part-time holiday entitlement: three-, four- and five-day weeks Understand how regular working days affect part-time holiday entitlement, with examples and common mistakes to avoid. - Minutezilla · [Editorial information and sources](https://minutezilla.com/en/for-teams/#editorial-policy) - · - Updated October 17, 2026 ![Calendar with highlighted working days beside a suitcase and calculator.](https://minutezilla.com/fileadmin/_processed_/b/f/csm_minutezilla-04-urlaub-teilzeit-20261017_06119075bb.webp) Working fewer hours does not automatically mean receiving fewer days of annual leave. For a regular weekly schedule, the important distinction is how many days you work, not simply how many hours. Getting that distinction right prevents a common planning mistake. ## Compare working days, not just weekly hours One employee works 20 hours over five days. Another works 20 hours over three days. Their weekly hours are the same, but they need different numbers of leave days to take a whole working week off. For a regular weekly pattern, the usual calculation is: **Comparable full-time annual leave ÷ full-time working days per week × your working days per week.** The [Osnabrück Chamber of Commerce explains the calculation](https://www.ihk.de/osnabrueck/recht-und-fair-play/recht/arbeitsrechtliche-informationen/urlaub-bei-teilzeit-1085330) with examples for part-time work. ## Example: 30 days for a five-day week | Your working days per week | Calculation | Annual leave in this example | |---|---|---| | 5 | 30 ÷ 5 × 5 | 30 days | | 4 | 30 ÷ 5 × 4 | 24 days | | 3 | 30 ÷ 5 × 3 | 18 days | Each example provides six working weeks off. The 30-day allowance is an assumed contractual entitlement, not the general statutory minimum. [Section 3 of Germany’s Federal Leave Act](https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/burlg/__3.html) sets out the statutory minimum using a working-day basis that needs to be applied to the relevant schedule. ## Shorter hours on the same days If you still work Monday to Friday, reducing the length of each day does not automatically reduce the number of leave days. One day of leave covers one scheduled working day. The hours credited to a working-time account are a separate issue and should not be confused with the leave-day balance. Try Minutezilla for free Time tracking, attendance, breaks and leave in one tool. Right in the browser, no credit card. [Start for free](https://app.minutezilla.com "Start for free") ## Take care when schedules change An arbitrary sample week is not enough for an irregular shift pattern. If working days change during the year, assess the relevant periods and accrued entitlement separately. Do not automatically recalculate all existing leave using the new schedule. Additional contractual leave, joining or leaving during the year and special rules may also matter. Do not round fractions down for convenience. The treatment depends on how the entitlement arose and the applicable rules; rounding everything to half-days is not a reliable universal approach. ## Keep the calculation understandable Document the working pattern, period and calculation used. Distinguish approved leave from requests still awaiting a decision, so employees can see whether pending requests are reflected in their balance. ## Frequently asked questions ### Does a 20-hour week mean half the holiday allowance? No. For the regular-week calculation, compare working days and the equivalent full-time entitlement. ### Does the table apply if I change jobs? Not on its own. The examples assume an unchanged weekly pattern and a suitable annual entitlement. Other circumstances need a separate assessment. ## Keep balances clear for your team Use [Minutezilla’s leave management](https://app.minutezilla.com) to maintain understandable allowances and requests. Establish the correct entitlement before entering the balance. ## More guides Software and apps ![Switching time tracking tools: a checklist for a clean start](https://minutezilla.com/fileadmin/_processed_/3/e/csm_minutezilla-kmu-workflow-20261020_1002ec3e55.webp) ### [Switching time tracking tools: a checklist for a clean start](https://minutezilla.com/en/switch-time-tracking-tools/) - Minutezilla - • - November 1, 2026 Software and apps ![Managing annual leave: replacing scattered spreadsheets in a small team](https://minutezilla.com/fileadmin/_processed_/9/0/csm_minutezilla-leave-workflow-20261020_a34fce09b1.webp) ### [Managing annual leave: replacing scattered spreadsheets in a small team](https://minutezilla.com/en/manage-annual-leave-replace-spreadsheets/) - Minutezilla - • - October 31, 2026 Software and apps ![Team holiday planning 2027: bridge days and checklist](https://minutezilla.com/fileadmin/_processed_/e/9/csm_minutezilla-holiday-planning-2027-en-20261022_4a0819208a.webp) ### [Team holiday planning 2027: bridge days and checklist](https://minutezilla.com/en/team-holiday-planning-2027/) - Minutezilla - • - October 29, 2026 ## Bring time, leave and attendance together. Start with Minutezilla right in the browser. No installation, no credit card. [Try Minutezilla](https://app.minutezilla.com "Try Minutezilla") [Log in](https://app.minutezilla.com/login "Log in")