The purpose of the Urgent Family Leave Regulations under Maltese law is to assist working parents in reconciling their parental and professional responsibilities. To this end, as from the 04th April 2025, employees shall be entitled to a minimum of 32 hours per year of urgent family leave with pay by the employer.
Is the urgent family leave entitlement granted over and above the employee’s vacation and/or sickness leave entitlement?
No, urgent family leave is not granted over and above the employee’s vacation and/or sickness leave entitlement but rather it is deducted from such leave entitlements. In fact, these 32 hours of urgent family leave shall be deducted from the employee’s leave entitlement as follows:
- The first 16 hours shall be deducted from the annual leave entitlement of the employee;
- The remaining 16 hours shall be deducted from the annual sick leave entitlement of the employee.
Use of urgent family leave shall always remain subject to the availability of the respective balance of annual leave and/or annual sick leave entitlement of the employee in question.
Are part-time employees also entitled to a minimum of 32 hours per year of urgent family leave?
Part-time employees shall be entitled to urgent family leave on a pro-rata basis.
When are employees entitled to Urgent Family Leave?
All employees, shall be entitled to time off from work on grounds of force majeure for urgent family reasons, in cases of sickness or accident making the immediate presence of the employee indispensable. These cases mainly include:
- Accidents to members of the immediate family of the employee;
- the sudden illness or sickness of any member of the immediate family of the employee requiring the assistance or the presence of the employee;
- the presence during births and deaths of members of the immediate family of the employee.
For more information you can contact one of our Team Members in the Employment Law Department at Mifsud & Mifsud Advocates.
