Tax Observatory · – 18 July 2026

Allowance days and unpaid absences: the payroll rules

TOPIC
Employment income allowances — counting the days under art. 13 of the Italian income tax code

Employment income allowances must be pro-rated to the days that carry an entitlement to pay: public holidays, weekly rest days and paid absences stay in the count, while unpaid absences (unpaid leave, unpaid time off) reduce it.

This bears directly on payroll processing: miscounting allowance days produces year-end adjustments and disputes. It is worth reviewing payroll software settings periodically, especially where unpaid leave or vertical part-time arrangements are involved.

Summary note by Studio Antolini, based on specialised tax sources. The text does not reproduce the original contributions and does not constitute professional advice.