Vacation entitlement in a minijob — how to calculate it correctly.
If you work a minijob (Minijob, a German marginal-employment job), you have a full, prorated paid vacation entitlement (Urlaubsanspruch) under § 3 of the Federal Vacation Act (BUrlG) and § 4 of the Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act (TzBfG). What counts is the number of workdays per week, not the hours. Calculate your entitlement here in 10 seconds.
More on this in our podcast: Episode 2 of Sauber kalkuliert covers the five myths that cost cleaners vacation days — Vacation in a minijob, 24 minutes (in German, with English transcript).
Workdays count — not hours.
Under the Federal Vacation Act, minijobbers are entitled to the same vacation as full-time employees, on a prorated basis. It makes no difference whether you work 2 or 8 hours a day: a cleaner working 2-hour shifts 5 days a week has the same entitlement as a full-time employee.
The formula: (your workdays per week ÷ the company’s workdays per week) × the company’s annual vacation days. So with a 5-day week and 20 vacation days, 3 workdays a week give you 12 vacation days a year. The minijob earnings limit (Minijob-Grenze) — €603 a month in 2026 — has no effect on this.
At Ruiz Gebäudereinigung Hamburg, every minijobber receives their full statutory vacation entitlement — documented in writing, no questions asked.
Vacation days per year — the statutory minimum for a company with a 5-day week and 20 vacation days. Many employers offer more.
2026 vacation calculator for minijobbers
As simple as the calculator from the Minijob-Zentrale, Germany’s central agency for minijobs: enter your workdays and see the result. It’s based on the statutory minimum of 24 vacation days on a 6-day week: the BUrlG counts every day from Monday through Saturday (Werktage).
Workdays/week × 24 ÷ 6Workdays/year × 24 ÷ 312If your employer grants more than the statutory minimum (e.g., 25 or 30 days), the higher figure applies on a prorated basis — check your employment contract.
Example: 3 workdays per week = 3 × 24 ÷ 6 = 12 vacation days
If your schedule varies, add up all your workdays for the year.
Vacation days by workdays — and what the law says
| Workdays / week | Vacation days / year | Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | 4 days | (1 ÷ 5) × 20 = 4 |
| 2 days | 8 days | (2 ÷ 5) × 20 = 8 |
| 3 days | 12 days | (3 ÷ 5) × 20 = 12 |
| 4 days | 16 days | (4 ÷ 5) × 20 = 16 |
| 5 days | 20 days | (5 ÷ 5) × 20 = 20 |
Statutory minimum entitlement for a company with a 5-day week and 20 vacation days. The BUrlG counts every day from Monday through Saturday (Werktage); if you count only the days you actually work, Monday through Friday (Arbeitstage), the result is the same.
§ 3 BUrlG — at least 24 vacation days per year, counted Monday through Saturday
§ 4 TzBfG — part-time employees may not be treated less favorably
§§ 4, 5 BUrlG — full entitlement after a 6-month qualifying period (Wartezeit); before that, 1/12 per month
Federal Labor Court (BAG) case law — unused vacation expires only if your employer has actively reminded you
If your employer grants 25 or 30 days, that figure also applies to your minijob on a prorated basis — your employment contract is what matters.
Three examples of how the math works in practice
Cleaner at Ruiz, 3 days/week
Lisa works 3 days a week for Ruiz Gebäudereinigung Hamburg. The company grants 20 vacation days based on a 5-day week.
Part-time retail worker, 2 days/week
Markus works at a supermarket on Wednesdays and Saturdays. His employer grants the statutory minimum: 24 days based on a 6-day week.
Office worker, 5 days/week — only 2 hours/day
Anna works 2 hours a day, and her employer grants 25 vacation days. Despite the short shifts, she gets the full entitlement — it’s the days that count, not the hours.
Common misconception: Working fewer hours per day does not reduce your vacation entitlement. The Federal Labor Court has confirmed this repeatedly: only the number of workdays per week counts.
Common mistakes — and your checklist to avoid them
These 5 mistakes cost you vacation days
Counting hours instead of days — it’s your workdays per week that matter.
Putting up with being denied vacation — minijobbers have the same entitlement as full-time employees, on a prorated basis.
Mixing up the two ways of counting days — the BUrlG counts Monday through Saturday (6 days); if you count only the days you actually work, Monday through Friday (5 days), the result is the same.
Writing off unused vacation as expired — it doesn’t expire unless your employer has actively reminded you (BAG).
Probationary period (Probezeit) = no vacation? Wrong — you earn 1/12 of your annual entitlement for each month (§ 5 BUrlG).
Your minijob vacation checklist
Check your employment contract — how many vacation days does your employer grant?
Count your workdays per week — not the hours.
Calculate your entitlement — (your workdays ÷ the company’s workdays) × annual vacation, or just use the calculator.
Insist on written records — approved vacation should always be confirmed in writing.
Actually take your vacation — it can only be paid out when your employment ends (payment in lieu of vacation, or Urlaubsabgeltung).
Request your remaining vacation in time — before the year ends.
What about the minijob earnings limit? In 2026, it’s €603 a month and has no effect on your vacation entitlement. At the commercial cleaning industry’s minimum wage of €15.00 per hour (the 2026 collectively agreed wage, or Tariflohn), that works out to a maximum of about 9.25 hours per week.
Frequently asked questions about vacation in a minijob
The seven most important answers — brief, with the legal basis.
As the employer of more than 20 cleaners — full-time and in minijobs — Jonathan Ruiz knows vacation calculations firsthand. At Ruiz, every employee receives their full statutory entitlement. More about Ruiz →
Last updated: September 2026. Legal basis: § 3 BUrlG, § 4 TzBfG. Minijob earnings limit for 2026: €603. Published by: Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg, Carl-Petersen-Straße 92b, 20535 Hamburg.
Are minijobbers entitled to paid vacation?
Yes — a full, prorated entitlement under the Federal Vacation Act (BUrlG) and the Part-Time and Fixed-Term Employment Act (§ 4 TzBfG). It’s based on workdays, not hours. At Ruiz Gebäudereinigung Hamburg, every minijobber receives their full vacation entitlement.
How do you calculate vacation entitlement for a minijob?
Use this formula: (your individual workdays per week ÷ the company’s workdays per week) × annual vacation. Example: 3 days/week with 20 vacation days = (3 ÷ 5) × 20 = 12 vacation days.
How many vacation days do you get for 1 to 5 workdays per week?
At a company with a 5-day week and 20 vacation days: 1 day/week = 4 vacation days, 2 days = 8, 3 days = 12, 4 days = 16, and 5 days = 20 per year.
What counts — hours worked or workdays?
Only the workdays per week. A cleaner working 2-hour shifts 5 days a week has the same vacation entitlement as a full-time employee.
Can vacation in a minijob be paid out?
Only when your employment ends (payment in lieu of vacation, or Urlaubsabgeltung). While you’re still employed, you have to actually take your vacation — it’s meant for rest and recovery.
Does unused vacation expire automatically?
No. Under Federal Labor Court (BAG) case law, your employer must actively remind you of your remaining vacation. Without that reminder, your entitlement does not expire at the end of the year.
Do you get vacation during the probationary period?
Yes, on a prorated basis: you earn 1/12 of your annual vacation for each month. The full entitlement applies after the six-month qualifying period under § 4 BUrlG.
A fair minijob in Hamburg.
Cleaner (m/f/d) at Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg: pay above the collectively agreed wage, starting at €16.00 per hour, plus up to €50 a month in non-cash benefits (Sachbezug) for minijobbers. Flexible short shifts, one fixed site — and, of course, your full vacation entitlement.
Ruiz Büroreinigung Hamburg · Carl-Petersen-Straße 92b, 20535 Hamburg · Mon–Sat, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.