Understanding Employee Leave Entitlements in Chile

As an international HR professional, I've observed that Chile offers a comprehensive framework of employee leave benefits designed to balance work-life integration while ensuring business continuity. Chilean labor law provides various types of statutory leave that employers must understand when operating in this market.

Annual Vacation Leave: Key Provisions

Employees with One Year of Service

Chilean legislation mandates that employees who complete one year of continuous service are entitled to 15 working days of paid annual leave. This entitlement increases by one additional day for every three years of service after completing ten years with the same employer. The leave must typically be taken continuously, though employees may negotiate splitting their leave after using the first ten days.

Several important considerations apply:

Employees in Magallanes, Aysén, and Palena regions receive 20 working days of annual leave
Vacation scheduling generally favors spring or summer months, though adjustments can be made with employer consent
Leave accumulation is capped at two consecutive periods (typically 30 working days)

Notably, Saturdays are excluded from vacation day calculations, though employees receive full pay for these days. For example, a two-week vacation from Monday to Friday the following week counts as 10 vacation days despite spanning 14 calendar days.

Employees with Less Than One Year of Service

New employees accrue vacation at a rate of 1.25 days per month but cannot take leave until completing 12 months of service. If employment terminates before one year, employees receive proportional vacation pay based on their accrued time.

Exceptions to Vacation Entitlements

Certain circumstances may affect vacation rights:

Medical leave during vacation periods pauses vacation accrual
Seasonal workers may not qualify due to discontinuous employment
Employees with work interruptions exceeding 15 days may lose entitlement

Sick Leave Regulations

Chile's sick leave system demonstrates a thoughtful approach to employee welfare. Employers cover the first 14 days of sick pay, after which the national social protection fund assumes responsibility. Employees must provide medical certification, typically through the iMed platform.

The payment structure varies by duration:

Leave under 11 days: Paid from day 4 onward (first 3 days unpaid)
Leave of 11+ days: Paid from the first day of absence

Parental Leave Provisions

Chile offers generous parental benefits funded through social security. Birth mothers receive 126 days of paid leave (42 prenatal and 84 postnatal), with several unique features:

Parents can share postnatal leave from the seventh week
Mothers may extend leave with 84 additional full days or 144 half-days
Parents can share an additional 84 days of extended leave

Eligibility requires six months of continuous employment and 90 days of social security contributions in the preceding six months.

Additional Leave Types

Paternity Leave

Fathers receive five days of paid paternity leave within the first month following childbirth, usable continuously or intermittently.

Adoption Leave

Employees adopting children under six months receive 12 weeks of paid leave equivalent to maternity benefits.

Bereavement Leave

Chile provides compassionate leave based on relationship to the deceased:

Relationship	Leave Duration
Child	10 calendar days
Spouse/Civil Partner/Pregnant Child	7 calendar days plus job protection
Parent/Sibling	4 working days

Marriage Leave

Employees receive five working days for marriage or civil union ceremonies, with 30 days' advance notice required.

2025 Public Holidays

Chile's national holidays include:

Holiday	Date
New Year's Day	January 1
Good Friday	April 18
Holy Saturday	April 19
Labor Day	May 1
Navy Day	May 21
Indigenous Peoples Day	June 20
St. Peter and St. Paul Day	June 29
Our Lady of Mount Carmel	July 16
Assumption of Mary	August 15
Independence Day	September 18
Army Day	September 19
Reformation Day	October 31
All Saints' Day	November 1
Immaculate Conception	December 8
Christmas Day	December 25

Companies like SailGlobal can provide detailed guidance on implementing these policies effectively within your organization.

Chile Employee Leave Guide: Annual, Sick, and Parental Leave Regulations