Public-sector employees entitled to one paid day off for their child’s first school day
Article 28 of the General Collective Agreement grants a paid day for parents of first-graders in the public sector; in private companies the decision rests with the employer.
Public-sector employees in North Macedonia are entitled to one paid day off for their child's first day of school, a right set out in labour regulations that covers parents of first-graders.
The entitlement is established by Article 28 of the General Collective Agreement for the public sector, which states that an employee may take one paid day of leave for the first school day of their child who is a first-grader.
This means parents who work in institutions and organisations covered by the public-sector collective agreement can be present with their children on that milestone day — accompanying them to school, taking the traditional photos with the backpack, and remaining nearby when the school bell rings for the first time.
What happens in the private sector?
In the private sector the situation is different. Although it is often said that "every parent has the right to a day off for a first-grader", that does not automatically apply to private employers. Time off for the first day of school in private companies depends on employer policy, internal company acts or any applicable collective agreement the employer follows.
In practice, the right under Article 28 guarantees paid leave for employees covered by the public-sector agreement, while in private businesses the option to be absent with pay is usually left to the discretion of the employer — sometimes granted as a recommended practice, but not an automatic statutory right under the public-sector agreement.
Photo: Gemini AI
