Click here to see the 2023 bank holidays in Hungary.
A bank holiday is a day when the majority of people working in employment is not required to work. For people working on normal working hours (Monday through Friday), Saturdays and Sundays are rest days. Above that, there are 11 bank holidays and several extra rest days in Hungary in 2018.
As you can see from the above list, instead of having one free day in the middle of the work week, Hungarian people usually prefer to have long weekends in exchange for a Saturday that would otherwise be a rest day. As a result, depending on which day of the week bank holidays are, the previous or the following day is granted a rest day by the government to make a long weekend for everyone. In that case, a Saturday is declared a work day instead, to keep the number of work days over the year the same.
Please note: while only the above listed are bank holidays in Hungary, you should keep in mind that around the end of the year there are two “short” days, when most employees are allowed to leave early, shops close around noon, and even public transport switches to night mode around 4 p.m. These are:
As these are both rest days in 2018, you do not have to worry about them if your employees work on a regular work schedule (Monday through Friday).
If you employ workers in Hungary, keep in mind that regularly your employees are not going to work on bank holidays. Of course, you might still need them to work on these days – maybe because you are in a business that gives continuous service, like a restaurant. In that case, you will have to pay your employees increased wages (see our article on overtime payment).
Working Saturdays count as full work days. Regarding work schedules, public transportation timetables and shop opening hours, they are considered “Fridays” (while the calendar Friday the day before is considered a “Thursday”). So if your “9 to 5” employees usually leave early (e.g. around 2 p.m.) on the last weekdays, i.e. on regular Fridays, they will stay full time on this calendar Friday, and leave early on the working Saturday.
On working Saturdays, most employers are more lenient with employees. At many companies, working home office is encouraged, or work-related, but non-working events are organized, such as a competence training or a team-building activity.
At the same time, the employer may decide to waive their right to have employees working on these days. Alternatively, employers may also take these Saturdays as holidays, as if these were regular work days.
When in doubt, you can always consult your accountant or payroll advisor, who calculates the payrolls for you and your employees, and keeps tab on holidays, rest days, and working Saturdays. They will be able to help you calculate the budget if you need your employees work overtime, and have to pay wage supplements to them.
For the list of bank holidays in Hungary in 2019, click here.
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