6. Paid leave
- All workers have the right to rest one day a week.
- Act 260 and 90 recognises four national holidays and other holidays. During these festive days, workers receive regular pay.
- During their vacation, employees receive normal pay, excluding only indemnities connected to the actual work.
- MATERNITY LEAVE AND MATERNITY PROTECTION
- Female workers have special protection in case of pregnancy and maternity.
- From the beginning of pregnancy to one year after the child’s birth, the employee cannot be dismissed.
- Maternity leave is compulsory for female workers, from two months before until three months after childbirth.
- In 1987, for the first time, the Constitutional Court extended to the father the right to leave for three months after birth, where the mother’s caring for the child had become impossible due to illness or death.
- OTHER PERMITTED LEAVE
During sickness, suspension of the contract, with job protection, lasts for periods usually determined by collective agreements, according to the employee’s seniority. During this time, the worker is fully paid.
Student workers have the right to paid days off work to take exams.
Workers are entitled to a number of paid hours off work (150 in general) to attend, at public or certified schools, courses related or not to their professional activity.
- MINIMUM AGE AND PROTECTION OF YOUNG WORKERS
- Act no.345 and Act 262 establish the minimum age at which a person may be employed at the end of compulsory schooling, however not less than 15 years of age.
- There is a special regulation to protect the work of minors, such as special medical certificates guaranteeing their physical fitness for work, periodical medical check-ups, limits on working hours, prohibition of night work and so on.
- EQUALITY
- The Italian Constitution (art. 3) provides for the concept of equality of all citizens before the law without difference of sex, race, language, religion, political views, personal and social position.
- The Constitutional Court has ruled that equality is a fundamental right of foreigners as well.
