Payroll and Benefits Guide Armenia

Annual Leave (vacation)

The minimum days of paid annual leave are based on the working week. If an employee works five days a week, they will be entitled to 20 working days annual leave; however, if an employee works six days a week, they receive 24 working days annual leave.

The annual leave cycle is based on the individual worker’s start date not from a fixed calendar month such as January to December. It is permitted to a carryover policy for unused leave.

Should employees work in stressful or high-risk conditions, the number of days of annual leave increases. Employees who work a five-day working week would receive an annual leave entitlement of up to 35 days in exceptional conditions. Those who work a six-day working week are entitled to up to 42 days of annual leave in extraordinary circumstances.
Generally, employees can access annual leave after six months of continuous work.

Paid Time Off

Under Armenian labor law, unused annual leave can be carried over to a future period if the employee agrees — there isn’t a broad rule that all unused PTO expires at year-end as a matter of law. Carryover is based on mutual agreement between employer and employee rather than automatic forfeiture. Additionally, if an employee avoids taking leave for 2½ years, the employer may step in and schedule the leave to ensure it’s taken.

Public Holidays

Public holidays falling on the weekend are usually lost.

Sick Days

Employees are entitled to receive paid sick leave from the first day to day five of sickness at 80% of the average salary, with the employer paying. From day six, the sick pay is covered by social insurance. If an employee is absent for fewer than 120 successive days or 140 days within a year, they remain entitled to their full benefits.

The Social Insurance Scheme is responsible for paying an employee’s sick leave if this is due to a work-related injury or illness. The employee may return to work when they are healthy enough to do so.

The employee must notify the employer on the first day of absence.

The employee must provide the employer with sick leave confirmation for all days of absence from the medical institution on the same day when he arrives to work after sick leave.

Maternity Leave

In Armenia, an employee is entitled to at least 140 days of maternity leave (70 days during pregnancy and 70 days following the child’s birth). The maternity leave entitlement increases to 155 days (70 days of pregnancy, 85 days from delivery) in the case of complicated childbirth. For multiple births, the leave entitlement would increase to 180 days (70 days of pregnancy, 110 days from childbirth).

Employers must provide paid maternity pay at 100% of the insured’s average monthly earnings (regardless of the number of years of covered employment) divided by 30.4 (average number of days in a month).

Paternity Leave

New fathers are entitled to 5 days of paid leave within the first 30 days of the child’s birth.

Parental Leave

Within the first month of the child’s birth, it is possible to request up to 5 days of paid parental leave.

Other Leave

Bereavement leave
Employers must provide employees with three days of unpaid leave to attend the funeral of a family member.

Marriage Leave
Employers must provide employees three days of unpaid leave in the event of their marriage.