Use It or Lose It: Russian Lawmaker Warns Workers on Unused Vacation Days

A Russian lawmaker has issued a clear warning to employees who have been stockpiling their annual leave: you could lose the right to cash it out. Yekaterina Stenyakina, a member of the State Duma's committee on labor and social policy, stated that compensation for unused vacation time, accumulated over years, is far from guaranteed and can be exceptionally difficult to win, even in court.

Judges, Stenyakina explained, meticulously examine the reasons why an employee failed to take their entitled leave. If the court finds the reasons unconvincing, it will likely rule against the worker. The outcome often hinges on whether the employer actively prevented the employee from taking time off. Human resources departments typically remind staff of their right to vacation. If evidence shows the company did not obstruct leave and the employee voluntarily declined it without strong justification, the court will generally side with management. "The court may view this as a right not exercised by personal choice," the parliamentarian concluded.

The warning follows recent financial advice for Russian workers regarding holiday planning. Earlier, analyst Tatyana Podolskaya suggested avoiding vacation in January 2026 for salaried employees, noting it is financially disadvantageous. With only 15 working days that month against 16 days of holidays and weekends, the cost of a single working day can exceed the average daily wage, making time off in January a poor economic choice for many.