Where New Zealand ranks for paid work leave – and how many days we get off

New Zealand ranks among some of the most generous countries in the world for paid leave, according to a global study by Moorepay.

Kiwi workers earn an average of $8405 a year for paid annual and public holiday leave, ranking 14th out of 187 countries analysed.

Employees here are entitled to a minimum of 20 paid annual leave days and 11 national public holidays (excluding provincial holidays) – the 16th equal highest in the study.

In comparison, Australian workers receive a total of 29 paid statutory leave days but earn an average of $8872 for that time off.

Topping the list for average earnings during time off are workers in Luxembourg, which has the highest average income in the world.

Employees in the small western European country, which has a population of around 680,000, earn an average of $19,264 over 26 annual leave days and 11 national public holidays.

The Nordic countries also rank as the most generous nations for paid leave, making up the rest of the top five: Norway ($17,332), Denmark ($14,559), Sweden ($14,223), and Iceland ($13,788).

Paula O’Kane, an associate professor at the University of Otago, said New Zealand’s 31 days of paid leave was not a bad number overall.

“[It] equates to over half a day a working week, which should be sufficient for most people to get sufficient R&R … [but] given what we know about the [younger] generations, they value their time off more, so this could be detrimental to the brain drain we are currently suffering in New Zealand.”

O’Kane said more leave doesn’t automatically equate to better well-being.

“Organisational culture and the way you are treated at work is likely to impact your wellbeing.

“Many organisations will offer unpaid leave for bigger trips or other circumstances; again, this is part of organisational culture.”

At the foot of the table, the United States has no nationwide law allowing workers paid vacation or public holidays. Instead, these benefits are generally a matter of agreement between an employer and an employee, according to the US Department of Labor.

The US is among five countries, including Britain, Japan, the Netherlands and Guyana, that offer zero entitled paid public holidays.

Under British law, an employee is not entitled to be paid more, or given a day in lieu, for working a bank or public holiday. However, workers are legally entitled to 28 paid annual leave days.

Japan and Guyana offer just 10 and 12 paid vacation days respectively.

Meanwhile, Yemen is the best country for statutory leave, offering 30 annual leave days and 16 public holidays (46 days total). However, the average worker earns just $185 over that period.

In Europe, Austria leads the way with 43 paid days off in total, comprising 30 days of annual leave and 13 public holidays.

Austrian workers earn an average $12,456 in paid leave, ranking sixth highest in Moorepay’s study.

Venezuela offers the most paid public holidays with 23, while Cambodia, Myanmar, and Azerbaijan offer above 20.

Moorepay’s study used the average income in each country and the adjusted net income per capita, according to World Bank data.