The Study Leave Act

The Study Leave Act came into being in order to facilitate participation in adult education and trade union study activities. The main rule is that no one should be refused study leave.

If the leave is for trade union studies there are no special requirements concerning the length of employment. For other studies, however, the employee must have worked for six months continuously or for twelve months in the past two years.

The right to study leave applies to all types of study, apart from pure self-instruction and such activities that may be regarded as hobbies, such as riding camps, china painting etc.

The Act does not regulate the length of the studies but stipulates that this may not be longer than necessary to achieve the objective of the studies.

The main rule is that the employee is entitled to study leave when she/he so wishes. Since leave of absence can create difficulties for the employer, the employer has the right to postpone the leave within a certain established framework.

Leave for trade union studies may be postponed for 14 days and other studies for six months, counted from the day of application.