Article 8 of Organic Law No. 1/2001 of 14 August – the law governing the election of local government officials – establishes that “during the election campaign period, candidates and substitute candidates, in the minimum number required by law, are entitled to be excused from their respective duties, whether public or private, with this time counting for all purposes, including the right to remuneration, as effective service time”.
In view of the legislation in force, the answer to the questions is affirmative, i.e. the absences of an employee who is a candidate for a local authority body during the election campaign period is are remunerated.
To this end, the employee must present to the employer a certificate issued by a court certifying that he/she is a candidate or substitute candidate in the local elections.
The election campaign period for the 2025 local elections begins 12 days before and ends at midnight on the day before the day designated for the elections, i.e. from 30 September to 10 October 2025.
The Labour Law Department of Belzuz Abogados, S.L.P. – Sucursal em Portugal has experience and qualified professionals to provide information and clarification on the subject of absenteeism at work, as well as to advise companies on the working time organisation.