The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) considers that the purpose of paid annual leave is to enable workers to rest and enjoy a period of relaxation and leisure.

The entitlement to paid annual leave differs from the entitlement to sick leave.

The purpose of sick leave is to enable the worker to recover from an illness resulting in incapacity for work.

Accordingly, the CJEU considers that a worker who is on sick leave during a period of annual leave has the right to request to take his annual leave at a period other than that coinciding with sick leave.