Click here to see the 2023 bank holidays in Hungary.
If you operate a business in Hungary, you should be aware of bank holidays, when employees are not required to work normal working hours, and customers usually do not expect normal business hours. There are 13 of these each year, sometimes supplemented by extra rest days to create 4-day long weekends.
Regular working time is Monday through Friday 8 am to 4 pm (or 9 am to 5 pm), so 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week. Saturdays and Sundays are rest days. The 40 hours / week applies even if you have a shop with different opening hours; restaurants, cinemas, and free-time facilities in general are open in the evenings and on weekends, while some services must be available around the clock. In this case you might already be paying wage supplements or apply working time banking.
In 2022, many bank holidays fall on weekends, which means little change to regular working time. However, bank holidays on Saturdays and Sundays are different from regular weekends, which may mean different opening hours for your business, and different wage supplements for your employees.
In Hungary, people prefer extended weekends to having one day off in the middle of the week. Because of this, if a bank holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, the preceding Monday or the following Friday will become a rest day to create a 4-day long weekend. However, to make up for the extra rest day, a Saturday in the same month is made a working day instead. This is always regulated by law, so you can look it up in official calendars.
The exchanged Saturdays are also referred to as working Saturdays as they are full working days. Concerning timetables (either for public transport or your own business operation), they are “Fridays”, while the preceding calendar Friday becomes a “Thursday”. For example, if you usually let your employees leave early on Fridays, they will stay full time on the calendar Friday, and leave early on the exchanged Saturday, the “Friday” of the week.
While officially these Saturdays are regular working days, many employers are more lenient on these days. It is normal to let people leave earlier, or have some other activity at your company that is not strictly related to regular business operation, like some form of training or team building. In any case, it is your right as an employer to decide what you expect from your employees on these days. You might need them to work full time – while the employees might also take a paid leave, using one of their vacation days.
In Hungary, there are two more special days that are not officially bank holidays, but are still “short days” by tradition. On these days, shops close early, employees are let home early, and public transport switches to night mode around 4 pm.
When planning the workload for December, keep in mind that your employees might want to leave early on these days, or even take them off. Since in 2022 these days are Saturdays, they will not affect companies with regular working hours. However, if you have a shop, make sure to plan opening hours and shifts carefully. You might also want to consult your HR or payroll specialist to learn more about your rights and obligations as an employer regarding these days.
Yearly planning is an essential aspect of running a business. Consider how bank holidays will affect your daily operation, your revenues, and the payroll of your company. Your HR or payroll specialist can provide valuable input on what to expect from employees in Hungary on these days.
Helpers Hungary has been providing business assistance to foreigners in Hungary for more than 15 years, and that includes accountancy, payroll, and HR consultation. Do you need help in operating your Hungarian company? Fill in the form below, tell us what you need help with, and ask for a consultation.
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