A reader writes to Lifelines with yet another question about a perennial topic of concern, paid leave:

I just want to ask if I still have the right to get my paid leave at my company. I've already been working eight months at my company but I have not received any paid leave because I did not complete six months continuous working, because it happened that 2½ months into working at my company my father died and I needed to go back to my country for three weeks. But my contract is still continuous until now. Should they still give me paid leave or not?

Workers who have been employed continuously for six months from the day of hiring are basically entitled to 10 working days of annual paid leave, even if that is ruled out in the employment contract. However, Article 39 of the Labor Standards Act states that workers are required to attend at least 80 percent of their "total working days" in order to be able to receive that paid leave.