Leave During Probation in Sri Lanka: What Applies
Probation does not suspend statutory leave in Sri Lanka. Casual leave builds up per 2 months; annual leave is earned in year one, taken in year two
On this page
- Probation does not suspend statutory leave
- Casual leave: one day for every two completed months
- Annual leave: the joining-quarter table
- Poya days, holidays and weekly rest during probation
- Maternity leave from day one
- Worked example: joined 1 September
- Frequently asked questions
- Can a probationer be refused annual leave until they are confirmed?
- Does a probationer get sick leave?
- What happens to unused leave if employment ends during probation?
- Is there a minimum length of service before any leave applies?
Probation does not suspend statutory leave. Casual leave builds up at 1 day for every 2 completed months. Annual leave is earned in year one, taken in year two. The Shop and Office Employees Act does not carve out probationers anywhere in its leave sections.
Probation does not suspend statutory leave
The Act’s leave rules apply to every employee. Nothing in sections 6, 7, 7A or 18B–18I lowers or delays leave for someone on probation. Probation cannot withhold leave. For the full set of entitlements, see leave entitlements in Sri Lanka. What probation does affect, such as confirmation and notice, is covered in probation length and how to confirm or end it.
Casual leave: one day for every two completed months
A new joiner earns casual leave at 1 day for every 2 completed months of service. It can be used as it builds up, in that same first year. There is no waiting period tied to probation. See annual leave vs casual leave for how the two entitlements work side by side.
Annual leave: the joining-quarter table
Annual leave in the first year depends on the quarter the employee joined, and is taken the following year:
| Joined between | Annual leave, first year |
|---|---|
| 1 January – 31 March | 14 days |
| 1 April – 30 June | 10 days |
| 1 July – 30 September | 7 days |
| 1 October – 31 December | 4 days |
From the second year, the full 14 days apply, on full pay, whether or not probation has been confirmed by then. Use the leave entitlement calculator to check any individual joining date.
Poya days, holidays and weekly rest during probation
Weekly holidays (one full day and one half-day, paid), Poya days, and Gazetted mercantile holidays apply to every employee from day one. None of these are reduced or delayed for someone on probation.
Maternity leave from day one
Maternity leave applies from day one of employment, not from confirmation. A probationer who is pregnant is entitled to the full 84 working days on full pay, the same as a confirmed employee. See how maternity pay is calculated for how the days and pay are counted.
Worked example: joined 1 September
An employee joins on 1 September. By 31 December, 3 months of service are complete, counting from the joining date. That gives 1 day of casual leave (3 completed months, divided by 2, rounded down), usable straight away that year.
For annual leave, 1 September falls in the July–September quarter. The employee earns 7 days of annual leave for that first year. It is taken the following year, alongside the 14 days earned in year two.
Do this automatically in Humanised. First-year proration is easy to get wrong by hand. A leave management system lets you set one monthly accrual rate. It then applies from each employee’s joining date.
This is general payroll guidance. Every case is different. For your own case, speak to a payroll practitioner or a lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Can a probationer be refused annual leave until they are confirmed?
The Act does not link annual leave to confirmation. Timing is agreed between employer and employee, the same as for any employee.
Does a probationer get sick leave?
There is no separate statutory sick leave for anyone, probationer or confirmed. Illness is covered by the 7 days of casual leave. Extra paid medical leave, if you offer it, is a company benefit under your policy.
What happens to unused leave if employment ends during probation?
The same termination rule applies to every employee: the previous year’s balance, plus one day for each completed month of the current year if that year is under 10 months, or the full 14 days if it is 10 months or more. Where notice is too short to take the leave, the employer pays instead.
Is there a minimum length of service before any leave applies?
No. Casual leave starts accruing from the second completed month. Annual leave and maternity leave apply from day one, with the first-year annual figure set by the joining quarter.
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