The persons who get vaccinated against COVID-19 will benefit from a paid day-off for each dose

Law no. 221/2021 was published in the Official Gazette, Part I no. 732 of July 26^th 2021, for the completion of Law no. 55/2020 regarding certain measures for preventing and fighting against the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to this law, the persons who vaccinate against COVID-19 shall benefit, upon request, from the following:

• a paid day-off, which is not included in the duration of the leave, for each dose of vaccine, in the case of public and private system employees;
• a day of exemption from courses, for each dose of vaccine, in the case pupils and students;
• a day of furlough, for each dose of vaccine, in the case of active military personnel, soldiers and other military rank professionals.

These benefits are also granted to one of the parents or legal representative of the child aged up to 18 years, as well as of the disabled person aged up to 26 years, on the day when the child/disabled person is vaccinated.

These days off shall not be granted in case the aforementioned persons will be vaccinated at the work place, through the care of the employer.

The days off are granted based on the vaccination certificate and in the case of employees with underage children or disabled children aged up to 26 years, the companies must also receive a statement from the other parent, stating that s/he did not request a day off to accompany the child to vaccination; in this case, however, the day-off must coincide with the vaccination day.

Moreover, law no. 221/2021 does not stipulate that the day-off is to be granted in the day of the vaccination, but it can also be granted subsequently: “in order to avoid affecting the employer’s activity, the employees are bound to inform the employer regarding the options for scheduling the days-off that are to be requested” based on this law, in order to ensure the continuation of the employer’s activity under optimal conditions”.