What is the date of the Dragon Boat Festival in 2024? Are employees in Vietnam entitled to days off on the Dragon Boat Festival?

What is the date of the Dragon Boat Festival in 2024? 

Dragon Boat Festival (in Vietnamese: Doan Ngo Festival), is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month every year. In 2024, the 5th day of the 5th lunar month falls on Monday, June 10th, 2024 in the Gregorian calendar. Dragon Boat Festival is a traditional holiday in several East Asian countries such as Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, and China. "Doan" means the beginning, and "Ngo" refers to the period from 11 AM to 1 PM, which is the time to have the Doan Ngo meal at noon. Dragon Boat Festival signifies the shortest day of the year, when the sun is closest to the Earth.

In Vietnam, Dragon Boat Festival is also known as the "Insect Extermination Festival," as it is a day to eradicate pests and harmful insects from crops.

Dragon Boat Festival involves the following customs and traditions:

- Eating traditional foods:

+ Banh tro: Banh tro is made from sticky rice, kitchen ashes, and mung bean filling. It symbolizes purity, purification, and good luck.

+ Sticky rice wine: Sticky rice wine is made from sticky rice and yeast. It symbolizes longevity and abundant health.

+ Fruits: Fruits such as lychee, apricot, mango, etc., symbolize summer and prosperity.

+ Rice wine meal: Rice wine meal is made from sticky rice and sticky rice wine. It symbolizes satiation and warmth.

- Rituals and offerings:

+ Ancestors' worship: Paying respects to ancestors to express gratitude and seek peace.

+ Deity worship: Offering prayers to deities for a bountiful harvest and good health.

Please note that the above information is for reference purposes only.

What is the date of the Dragon Boat Festival in 2024? Are employees in Vietnam entitled to days off on the Dragon Boat Festival? - image from internet

Are employees in Vietnam entitled to days off on the Dragon Boat Festival?

Pursuant to Article 112 of the Labor Code in 2019 stipulating public holidays:

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.

As regulated above, Dragon Boat Festival is not a public holiday where employees are entitled to fully paid days off. Therefore, employees are not granted days off on Dragon Boat Festival in 2024.

Do employees receive higher salary for working on Dragon Boat Festival compared to regular working days in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 98 of the Labor Code in 2019 stipulating overtime pay, night work pay:

Overtime pay, night work pay

1. An employee who works overtime will be paid an amount based on the piece rate or actual salary as follows:

a) On normal days: at least 150%;

b) On weekly days off: at least 200%;

c) During public holidays, paid leave, at least 300%, not including the daily salary during the public holidays or paid leave for employees receiving daily salaries.

2. An employee who works at night will be paid an additional amount of at least 30% of the normal salary.

3. An employee who works overtime at night will be paid, in addition to the salary specified in Clause 1 and Clause 2 of this Article, an amount of at least 20% of the day work salary of a normal day, weekend or public holiday.

4. The Government shall elaborate this Article.

Pursuant to Clause 1 Article 112 of the Labor Code in 2019 stipulating public holidays:

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).

...

As regulated above, Dragon Boat Festival is not a public holiday where employees are entitled to fully paid days off.

However, depending on the nature of the job and the agreement between the employee and the employer, employees who work on Dragon Boat Festival may still receive higher salary than on regular working days, especially in cases where overtime is involved. To be specific:

- An employee who works overtime will be paid an amount at least 150% based on the piece rate or actual salary;

- An employee who works at night will be paid an additional amount of at least 30% of the normal salary.

An employee who works overtime at night will be paid, in addition to the salary specified byu the law, an amount of at least 20% of the day work salary of a normal day, weekend or public holiday.

Best regards!