Vietnam: What holidays are there in January 2024 in the solar calendar? Are employees entitled to full paid leave on public holidays?
In Vietnam, what holidays are there in January 2024 in the solar calendar?
January is the first month of the year. Below are the holidays in January 2024:
(1) Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday (January 1, 2024)
Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday, also known as New Year or International New Year (in English: Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday, New Year's, or New Year), is a holiday that takes place on January 1, the first day of the year according to the Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar. It is an important holiday of the year for many nations and cultures worldwide.
According to the calendar, Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday 2024 is on January 1, 2024, which falls on a Monday.
According to the lunar calendar, Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday 2024 is on November 20, 2023.
(2) Traditional Day of Vietnamese Pupils and Students (January 9):
The Traditional Day of Vietnamese Pupils and Students was decided at the first National Congress of the Vietnam Youth Federation held in Viet Bac in February 1950.
Later, the 5th National Congress of the Vietnam Student Association held in November 1993 in Hanoi also decided to designate January 9 as the traditional day of the Vietnam Student Association.
Additionally, internationally, there are holidays in January such as:
- World Braille Day (January 4):
- International Day of Education (January 24):
...
The information above is about some holidays in January 2024.
What holidays are there in January 2024 in the solar calendar? Are employees in Vietnam entitled to full paid leave on public holidays?
Are employees in Vietnam entitled to full paid leave on public holidays in January 2024?
Under Article 112 of the Labor Code 2019:
Public holidays
1. Employees shall be entitled to fully paid days off on the following public holidays:
a) Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday: 01 day (the 1st of January of the Gregorian calendar);
b) Lunar New Year Holidays: 05 days;
c) Victory Day: 01 day (the 30th of April of the Gregorian calendar);
d) International Labor Day: 01 day (the 1st of May of the Gregorian calendar);
dd) National Day: 02 days (the 2nd of September of the Gregorian calendar and the previous or next day);
e) Hung Kings Commemoration Day: 01 day (the 10th of the third month of the Lunar calendar).
2. Foreign employees in Vietnam are entitled to 01 traditional public holiday and 01 National Day of their country, in addition to the public holidays stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article.
3. The Prime Minister shall decide the specific public holidays mentioned in Point b and Point dd Clause 1 of this Article on an annual basis.
According to the above regulations,
Employees shall be entitled to fully paid days off on the following public holidays:
- Victory Day: 01 day (the 30th of April of the Gregorian calendar);
- International Labor Day: 01 day (the 1st of May of the Gregorian calendar);
- National Day: 02 days (the 2nd of September of the Gregorian calendar and the previous or next day);
- Hung Kings Commemoration Day: 01 day (the 10th of the third month of the Lunar calendar).
In addition to the aforementioned holidays, employees are also entitled to fully paid days off on Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday (01 day) and Lunar New Year Holidays (05 days).
Moreover, foreign employees in Vietnam, in addition to the aforementioned holidays, are entitled to 01 traditional public holiday and 01 National Day of their country.
Under Article 111 of the Labor Code 2019:
Weekly breaks
1. Each week an employee is entitled to a break of at least 24 consecutive hours. Where it is impossible for the employee to have a weekly day off due to the work cycle, the employer has the responsibility to ensure that on average the employee has at least 04 days off per month.
2. The employer has the right to determine and schedule the weekly breaks either on Sunday or for another fixed day in a week, which must be recorded in the internal labor regulations.
3. In case a public holiday falls on an employee’s weekly break as prescribed in Clause 1 Article 112 of this Labor Code, he/she will have compensatory time-off on the next working days.
According to the above regulation, in case a public holiday falls on an employee’s weekly break, the employee will have compensatory time-off on the next working days.
Thus, in January, employees are entitled to a day off on Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday 2024 (January 1, 2024).
However, since the Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday 2024 falls on a Monday, if combining with the weekly break, employees' holidays may last 02 or 03 days.
To be specific:
- For those who work on Saturdays with a weekly break on Sunday, the New Year's Holiday 2024 will be 02 days (Sunday and New Year Monday).
- For those who do not work on Saturdays (having 02 weekly breaks on Saturday and Sunday), the New Year's Holiday 2024 will be 03 days (Saturday, Sunday, and New Year Monday).
Additionally, in cases where the weekly break is another specified day, the New Year's Holiday 2024 is 01 day. If the Gregorian Calendar New Year Holiday coincides with the weekly break, they will be entitled to compensatory time-off on the next working day.
Will the Tet Holiday 2024 in Vietnam last for 7 days?
On November 22, 2023, the Vietnam Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs issued Notification 5015/TB-LDTBXH in 2023 on Lunar New Year and National Day 2024 holidays for officials and public employees and employees issued by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs.
Section 1 of Notification 5015/TB-LDTBXH in 2023 specifically outlines the Lunar New Year Holiday schedule 2024 for officials and public employees as follows:
1. Officials, public employees and employees working at administrative agencies, political organizations or socio-political organizations (hereinafter referred to as “officials and public employees”) are entitled to have the Lunar New Year holiday in 2024 from Thursday, February 08, 2024 of the solar calendar (i.e. December 29, 2023 of the lunar calendar) to the end of Wednesday, February 14, 2024 of the solar calendar (i.e. January 05, 2024 of the lunar calendar). This holiday includes 05 days of the Lunar New Year holiday and 02 days of compensatory time-off for the weekly days off as prescribed in Clause 3 Article 111 of the Labor Code.
Officials and public employees will take the Lunar New Year holiday 2024 from Thursday, February 8, 2024 (29th of Lunar December, Year of the Cat) to the end of Wednesday, February 14, 2024 (5th of Lunar January, Year of the Dragon).
Section 5 of Notification 5015/TB-LDTBXH in 2023 additionally specifies the Lunar New Year Holiday schedule 2024 for other employees as follows:
5.
With regard to employees other than those prescribed in Clause 1 of this Announcement, employers may adopt the following holiday schedule for Lunar New Year and National Day in 2024:
- The Lunar New Year holiday may include 01 ending day of the year 2023 and 04 beginning days of the year 2024 of the lunar calendar, or 02 ending days of the year 2023 and 03 beginning days of the year 2024 of the lunar calendar, or 03 ending days of the year 2023 and 02 beginning days of the year 2024 of the lunar calendar.
- The National Day holiday may include September 02, 2024 and either September 01, 2024 (Sunday) or September 03, 2024 (Tuesday) of the solar calendar.
- The holiday schedule for Lunar New Year and National Day in 2024 shall be notified to employees at least 30 days before implementation.
- In case a weekly day off coincides with a public holiday prescribed in Clause 1 Article 112 of the Labor Code, employees will have compensatory time-off on the next business day as prescribed in Clause 3 Article 111 of the Labor Code.
- Employers are encouraged to adopt the same Lunar New Year holiday schedule for their employees as officials and public employees.
For other employees, the employer shall decide on the Lunar New Year holiday 2024 as follows:
Choose either 01 day at the end of 2023 and 04 days at the beginning of 2024, or 02 days at the end of 2023 and 03 days at the beginning of 2024, or 03 days at the end of 2023 and 02 days at the beginning of 2024.
The above contains information on the Lunar New Year Holiday schedule 2024 for officials, public employees, and other employees.
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