Bank holidays in Hungary in 2024

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Hungarian bank holidays and other special days in 2024

• 1 January 2024 (Monday): New Year’s Day
• 15 March (Friday): commemoration of the revolution in 1848
• 29 March – 1 April (Friday – Monday): 4-day long weekend with Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday
• 1 May (Wednesday): Labor Day
• 19 & 20 May (Sunday and Monday): Pentecost
• 3 August (Saturday): working day in exchange for a rest day on 19 August (Monday)
• 19 August (Monday): rest day to create a 4-day long weekend (17 August – 20 August)
• 20 August (Tuesday): St. Stephen’s Day or the Day of the New Bread
• 23 October (Wednesday): commemoration of the revolution in 1956
• 1 November (Friday): All Hallows’ Day
• 7 December (Saturday): working day in exchange for a rest day on 24 December (Christmas Eve)
• 14 December (Saturday): working day in exchange for a rest day on 27 December (Friday)
• 24 December (Tuesday): Christmas Eve
• 25 – 26 December (Wednesday – Thursday): 1st and 2nd day of Christmas
• 27 December (Friday): rest day, so almost the entire week of Christmas is free (24 December – 29 December )
• 1 January 2025 (Wednesday): New Year’s Day

Regular working time in Hungary

In Hungary, full time employment means 40 hours a week, which is normally distributed 8 hours a day, 5 days a week. For office and factory jobs the regular working time is from Monday to Friday, either from 8 am to 4 pm or 9 am to 5 pm. Saturdays and Sundays are rest days. However, some places like shops, restaurants, and other businesses may operate with different opening hours: free-time facilities and entertainment places are typically open in the evening and on weekends, while certain services must be accessible at all hours. Considering this, you might already know about wage supplements and working time banking.

In 2024, several public holidays will fall on weekdays, resulting in extended weekends with additional rest days. These extra rest days will need to be compensated by working on certain Saturdays.

Long weekends and exchanged Saturdays

In Hungary, most people like having longer weekends instead of having just one day off in the middle of the week. Therefore, when a bank holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday in Hungary, the preceding Monday or the following Friday is usually made a rest day to create a four-day-long weekend. In such cases, a nearby Saturday is then considered a working day to compensate for the additional rest day. This practice is regulated by law and is usually marked on calendars.

The exchanged Saturdays are also called working Saturdays because they are full workdays. When it comes to schedules (whether for public transportation or your own business), these days act like “Fridays”, and the usual Friday on the calendar becomes a “Thursday”. For example, if you usually let your employees leave early on Fridays, they will work the entire time on the calendar Friday and leave early on the exchanged Saturday, which is treated as the “Friday” of the week.

Even though these Saturdays are officially regular workdays, many employers are more flexible on these days. It’s common to let people leave earlier or engage in activities not strictly related to regular business, like training or team building. As an employer, you have the right to decide what you expect from your employees on these days. You might require them to work the entire time, or employees could opt to take a paid leave using one of their vacation days. Start planning ahead, as there will be 3 working Saturdays in 2024.

Short days: special days that are not holidays

In Hungary, two special days are connected to official holidays. These days are not holidays, but rather their eves, which are the days just before, when people are already in a celebratory mood. Consequently, shops close early, employees leave work sooner, and public transportation transitions to night mode around 4 p.m.

• 24 December, Christmas Eve (Tuesday in 2024, and already a rest day)
• 31 December, New Year’s Eve (Tuesday in 2024)

When planning the workload in December, consider that employees may wish to leave early or take days off. Be aware that many individuals prefer using vacation days before Christmas and between Christmas and New Year. This could potentially impact your plans.

Consult your HR specialist or your accountant

When organizing workloads and business operations, consider upcoming holidays. These can impact your budget due to potential wage supplements and influence your employees’ motivation, especially on shorter workdays. To avoid unexpected issues, look for guidance from your HR specialist, payroll expert, or accountant.

The Helpers Team provides comprehensive assistance to foreigners living, working, and doing business in Hungary, from company setup through accountancy to residency application.

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