Reykjavik mayor Dag B. Eggertsson receives nearly ten million krónur for unused vacation days

Reykjavik has made significant payments related to unused vacation days for former mayor Dag B. Eggertsson, amounting to nearly ten million Icelandic krónur upon his departure from office after ten years. This payout has raised concerns regarding pay equality among employees, as noted by Þórarinn Eyfjörð, chairman of Sameyki, the municipal workers’ union.

Eggertsson had accrued 69 unused vacation days when he left his position. The total vacation payout, including associated wage-related fees, came to 9,773,617 krónur. According to the city’s city secretary, the vacation entitlements for the mayor derive from the collective bargaining agreement between the City of Reykjavik and Sameyki. Eyfjörð expressed his surprise at this funding decision, emphasizing that he is unaware of comparable payouts of this scale occurring within Reykjavik City or other public entities.

He pointed out that the 2021 wage agreements aimed to discourage the accumulation of old vacation days to promote timely leave. Although exceptions for accumulation could be justified under certain conditions, there has been increasing pressure on workers to utilize their vacation within reasonable time frames. Eyfjörð insisted that this issue warrants a closer examination of equal treatment among employees regarding vacation rights. He underscored that city workers, particularly those employed by Reykjavik City and other public entities, are likely to have strong opinions about this practice and will demand equitable conditions in similar matters.