What is the process and eligibility criteria for taking bereavement leave in Bulgaria, and how is pay calculated?

In Bulgaria, the process and eligibility criteria for bereavement leave are as follows:

• Bereavement leave consists of 2 days, which can be taken either on the days of the passing and the next day or on the day of the burial and the following day.
• Supported employees are eligible for bereavement leave due to the death of specific relatives: a parent, child, spouse, brother, sister, a parent of the spouse, or other relatives in direct lineage.
• To qualify for the leave, the supported employee must provide a death certificate.

Payment for bereavement leave in Bulgaria is based on either the terms established in a collective labor agreement or an agreement between the supported employee and the employer.

The steps to apply for bereavement leave include:

• The supported employee submits an application upon the death of a qualifying relative.
• The application must include a death certificate to validate the request for leave.

For additional information, refer to emergency leave details.

What is the process and eligibility criteria for taking educational leave in Bulgaria, and how is pay calculated?

In Bulgaria, educational leave is available to employees enrolled in high school or university with the prior consent of the employer. Here are the main aspects of the process and eligibility criteria:

• Employees are entitled to up to 25 days of paid educational leave per academic year. This allowance does not apply if the employee is repeating the academic year.

• During the graduation year, employees are entitled to a one-time leave of 30 working days to prepare for final exams and fulfill graduation requirements.

• In cases where employees are preparing for state exams, a one-time leave of 30 working days is available.

• Additional paid leave may be granted depending on the degree pursued, for activities such as the defense of a dissertation or thesis.

• For employees applying to educational institutions, paid leave is available: 6 working days for secondary school applications and 12 working days for higher education or doctoral studies applications. Without employer consent, employees may take unpaid leave for half of the granted duration.

• Employees can request unpaid leave of up to 20 working days per academic year for exam preparation. Higher allowances apply for specific exams: up to 30 working days for entrance and state exams in secondary schools, and up to 4 months for exams in higher education institutions or dissertation defenses. Without employer consent, unpaid leave duration can be reduced by half.

To proceed with educational leave, supported employees must notify their employer at least 7 days in advance. Leaves are acknowledged as work experience, and supported employees in Bulgaria should inform Velocity Global Bulgaria in advance to prepare the necessary leave request.

What is the process and eligibility criteria for taking sabbatical leave in Bulgaria, and how is pay calculated?

In Bulgaria, sabbatical leave is not common but can be associated with official and creative leave. The conditions and procedures for paid or unpaid sabbatical leave are usually established either in a collective labor agreement or in an agreement between the parties to the employment relationship. Key points about sabbatical leave payment in Bulgaria are:

• Employees may be granted paid or unpaid official or creative leave based on the conditions and procedures outlined in a collective labor agreement or through an agreement between the parties to the employment relationship.
• The duration of unpaid official or creative leave is considered as work experience.
• Unless otherwise agreed in a collective labor agreement, time spent on elective union actions is considered as unpaid leave during the period an employee holds a union position.
• Employees who are members of a representative body of a European commercial or cooperative society are entitled to study leave necessary for the performance of their functions. The specifics of this leave, including its duration and remuneration, are determined by a collective labor agreement or mutual agreement between the parties involved in the employment relationship.

To apply for sabbatical leave in Bulgaria, the supported employee needs to notify Velocity Global Bulgaria. This notification enables Velocity Global Bulgaria to prepare the necessary documents and provide the required guidance for the application process.

What is the process and eligibility criteria for taking religion-related leave in Bulgaria, and how is pay calculated?

In Bulgaria, the process and eligibility criteria for taking religion-related leave are outlined in Article 173 of the Labor Code.

Process and Eligibility:

• The supported employee must obtain written permission from the employer to use paid annual leave.
• Employees who practice a religion other than Eastern Orthodox Christianity are entitled to choose to use part of their annual paid leave or unpaid leave for their religious holidays. However, the number of days cannot exceed the number of days allocated for Eastern Orthodox religious holidays.
• The specific days for non-Eastern Orthodox religious holidays are determined by the Council of Ministers, based on a proposal from the official leadership of the relevant religious denomination.

How Pay is Calculated:

• When taking paid annual leave for religious reasons, the supported employee's pay is calculated based on their regular salary, as with any other paid annual leave.
• If the supported employee opts for unpaid leave, no pay is provided for the duration of the leave taken for religious holidays.

What are the guidelines for emergency leave in Bulgaria, including length, eligibility, application rules, and pay calculation?

In Bulgaria, employees are entitled to 2 days of paid emergency leave for specific personal events. These events include:

• Getting married
• Bereavement
• Blood donation
• Fulfilling certain civic duties

For further details on the specific leave type, please refer to the section where it is explained in more depth.

What are the guidelines for military service leave including length, eligibility, application rules, and pay calculation in Bulgaria?

Military service is no longer mandatory in Bulgaria. However, for employees called to perform active service in the voluntary reserve or for mobilisation training, several guidelines apply:

Length

• For active service in the voluntary reserve, the duration is generally designated by the call-up order.
• For mobilisation training, the specific duration also depends on the call-up order.

Eligibility

• Employees called to perform active service or temporary service in the voluntary reserve.
• Employees called up for mobilisation training events.

Rules for Applying

• Employees are considered to be on official unpaid leave for the duration of their service, including the day of departure and return.
• If the active service in the voluntary reserve lasts more than 25 calendar days, the employee is entitled to 2 calendar days of unpaid leave before departure and 2 days after return.
• For fixed-term service in the voluntary reserve, the employee has the right to 2 calendar days of unpaid leave before departure and 2 days after return.

Pay Calculation

• During the unpaid leave period under the above conditions, the employee is paid remuneration at the expense of the Ministry of Defense's budget.
• For mobilisation training lasting 15 days or more, the employee is entitled to 2 calendar days of paid leave before departure and 2 days after return, which are included in the annual paid leave.

What is the process and eligibility criteria for taking unpaid leave in Bulgaria?

In Bulgaria, the process and eligibility criteria for taking unpaid leave are as follows:

• An employer may grant unpaid leave upon the supported employee’s request, irrespective of whether the supported employee has exhausted their paid annual leave or has accumulated enough service time to qualify for paid leave.

• Up to 30 days of annual unpaid leave are recognized and counted when calculating the length of service.

• For a supported employee to apply for unpaid leave, they need to notify Velocity Global Bulgaria. Velocity Global Bulgaria will subsequently prepare the necessary documents and provide guidance as required.