Heatwave leave is increasingly entering Europe’s labour vocabulary as extreme temperatures make working conditions more dangerous, but there is no single EU-wide or automatic right to paid time off.
Some European workers can stay home with pay when temperatures or weather conditions become dangerous, while others may have their shifts moved to cooler hours or receive income support when work is suspended.
The differences determine who bears the financial cost when extreme heat makes work unsafe: the employee, the employer or the state.
Millions exposed to workplace heat
Around 130 million workers in Europe are exposed to heat stress at work each year, according to research by the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI). The exposure is estimated to be linked to 277,000 injuries and 230 deaths annually.
The EU-OSHA OSH Pulse 2025 survey found that one in five EU workers had been exposed to extreme heat during the previous 12 months.
The figure rose to 35% among workers in agriculture, forestry and fishing, while around one in four workers in construction and energy reported similar exposure. Almost one in 10 reported symptoms including dizziness, cramps or heatstroke.
The economic impact is also significant. Andreas Flouris, Professor of Physiology at the University of Thessaly and one of the authors of the ETUI research, estimates that productivity losses during an average heatwave reach 20%-25% in southern Europe, compared with 8%-14% in central Europe and 3%-6% in Scandinavian countries.
Spain’s climate leave model
Spain has gone further than most European countries by introducing what is known as climate leave in 2024.
The measure allows up to four days of paid absence when workers cannot reach their workplace because of travel restrictions or bans imposed by authorities, or when there is a serious and immediate risk from a natural disaster or extreme weather event.
If conditions continue beyond four days, businesses can use the ERTE mechanism to temporarily suspend or reduce employment because of force majeure, unless remote work is possible.
The provision was introduced following the devastating floods in Valencia and was not designed exclusively for heatwaves. It can, however, apply to extreme heat when the relevant conditions are met.
Different approaches in Italy and Belgium
Italy has no single national temperature threshold that automatically stops work. Instead, regional decisions, protocols and income-support measures apply.
Regions can ban outdoor work, typically between 12.30 pm and 4 pm, when forecasts indicate a high risk for workers exposed to sunlight and performing heavy physical work.
In 2025, similar measures were introduced in 18 of Italy’s 20 regions, affecting more than 2.3 million workers, according to Reuters.
When work is suspended or restricted because of high temperatures, employers can ask the National Institute for Social Security (INPS) to activate a wage-support mechanism.
The general reference point is 35°C, although perceived temperature and the type of work are also taken into account.
Belgium uses a more technical approach based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, which considers temperature, humidity, solar radiation and other factors affecting the body’s ability to cool itself.
The thresholds range from 29°C for light work to 18°C for very heavy physical work. When these levels are exceeded, employers must provide water, protection from the sun and ventilation. If exposure continues, additional breaks must be provided, and temporary unemployment with state compensation may be activated.
Germany and France focus on workplace measures
Germany has no automatic right to leave work because of heat.
Technical rules state that when indoor temperatures exceed 26°C, employers should consider measures to reduce heat exposure. Above 30°C, stronger measures are required, including changes to working hours, shading, ventilation and additional breaks.
At temperatures above 35°C, a workplace is considered unsuitable for work unless specific protective measures are implemented.
France strengthened employers’ obligations from 1 July 2025, linking protective measures to Météo-France warning levels.
Businesses must adjust working hours, limit exposure, provide cool drinking water and protective equipment, and include heat in their occupational risk assessments.
There is no maximum legal workplace temperature or general climate leave. However, particularly in construction, orange or red warnings can justify compensation when work is suspended.
EU considers stronger heat protections
The fragmented approach to heatwave leave and workplace protection has reached the European Commission’s agenda.
During the second phase of consultations on the Quality Jobs Act, launched on 20 July 2026, the Commission acknowledged that the risks posed by heat and extreme weather are not adequately addressed by the existing framework.
Options under consideration include requiring employers to include heat stress in workplace safety assessments and revising the EU directive on workplaces.
The Commission has also highlighted that the current framework excludes fields, forests and other agricultural or forestry areas located away from buildings, despite workers in these environments being among those most exposed to extreme heat.
European trade unions are calling for binding heat-stress limits, paid breaks, access to water and shade, adjusted working hours and guarantees that workers do not bear the loss of income when work is suspended.
Also read: New hybrid method developed to predict extreme weather events
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