In principle, employees are not obliged to take their holidays at a time determined by the employer. The general rule for taking holidays is that the employer has to agree to a request from the employee. Only if substantial business interests do not allow for it, the employer may refuse a request and determine the holiday period for the employee himself. In practice, this mainly concerns the continuity of the business, or fixed holiday periods as for schools and the construction industry. It does not include a shutdown due to the corona crisis. Because of the NOW scheme and other government support measures the employer has, after all, no interest to make employees take their holidays just now.
