Time away from work is important to workers’ health, and Sri Lanka’s existing leave entitlements are not a major concern, the head of the Environmental and Occupational Health Unit at the Ministry of Health has said.
Dr Inoka Suraweera told the Daily Mirror that the health effects of work have to be weighed against how much of a life is spent doing it. “If you just imagine a day, you spend at least around eight hours at the workplace, and you do this for 35-40 years,” she said.
The hazards being counted
Dr Suraweera said workers can be exposed to noise, radiation, extreme temperatures, chemicals, biological hazards, poor workplace ergonomics and unsafe machinery, depending on the job.
Psychological hazards are becoming increasingly important, she said, listing occupational trauma, anxiety, depression, violence, bullying and burnout. Against that, paid leave gives workers a chance to step back from workplace pressure, recover, and spend time with family and social networks.
On Sri Lanka’s arrangements, she said the position is not a major concern given the number of public holidays on top of paid leave. Employees covered by the Shop and Office Employees (Regulation of Employment and Remuneration) Act are entitled to weekly holidays, annual leave, casual leave, statutory holidays, Full Moon Poya holidays and maternity leave.
The ILO’s August report
An International Labour Organisation report published in August 2026 on global legislative trends in paid annual leave found that such leave helps prevent excessive working hours, protects physical and mental health, and supports work-life balance and long-term productivity.
The report records wide regional gaps. Most countries in Europe and Africa provide more than three working weeks of statutory annual leave. Others provide considerably less — five days in the Philippines, six in Thailand and seven in Singapore. New Zealand gives at least four weeks after 12 months of continuous employment, and Australian full-time and part-time employees are entitled to four weeks.
The ‘right to disconnect’
The ILO also flags a newer problem: workers staying reachable through digital technology even while on leave. The spread of remote working has made it possible for employees to remain contactable when physically away from the workplace, and some countries have begun considering a “right to disconnect” to shield workers from work-related communication during time off.
Dr Suraweera said that issue has not yet emerged as a significant concern in Sri Lanka.
The Daily Mirror report does not carry a response from employers’ organisations or trade unions, and does not say whether the Labour Ministry is considering any change to the statutory entitlements.
