What happens to the annual leave of an official who changes administration?

Verified 18 January 2024 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Are you a public servant and you change your employer’s administration? The conditions under which you can benefit from your annual leave vary depending on whether this change takes place during the year or on 1er January.

In the course of the year

In the public service, annual leave entitlements are calculated from 1er January to December 31.

So, if you change administration during the year, you can take your leave equally in your old or new administration. This applies if you change the dose to change, detachment, making available or direct integration.

However, it is customary that, before leaving his former administration, an official should take all the leave to which he is entitled in accordance with his period of service in that administration.

Annual leave entitlements are equal to 5 times the number of days worked per week, or 25 working days per year (5 weeks) for a staff member working full-time 5 days per week.

For example, if you change the administration on 1er may without having taken any leave in your old administration, you keep your 25 days of leave and you can take them in your new administration.

However, according to custom, leave entitlements are often divided between the two administrations in proportion to the time spent in each of them, namely:

  • 8 days in your previous administration (25 days / 12 months x 4 months)
  • 17 days in your new administration (25 days / 12 months x 8 months).

Some authorities grant additional days off. This additional leave is calculated on the basis of the length of service completed.

For example, if your old administration grants 12 additional days of leave per year and the new administration 18 days, you are entitled, in your old administration, to 4 additional days of leave to balance before your departure (12 days / 12 months x 4 months). And, in your new administration, you are entitled to 12 additional days of leave (18 days / 12 months x 8 months).

If the two administrations agree, you can keep all or part of the leave not taken in your old administration in your new administration.

Please note

It is recommended that you complete your RTT days in your previous administration before your departure date. They can also be paid into a Time Savings Account (TSA).

As of 1 January

Vacation leave not taken on December 31 is lost unless you pay into a Time Savings Account (TSA).

However, leave not taken due to an extended absence for health reasons is automatically carried forward under certain conditions.

Please note

It is recommended that you complete your RTT days in your previous administration before your departure date. They may also be paid into a TEC.