Bank holidays in Hungary in 2018

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Hungarian bank holidays and rest days in 2018

• 1 January (Monday): New Year’s Day
• 15 March (Thursday): commemoration of the revolution in 1848
• 16 March (Friday): rest day to make a 4 days long weekend 15 – 18 March
• 30 March – 2 April (Friday – Monday): Good Friday through Easter Monday
• 30 April (Monday): rest day to make a 4 days long weekend 28 April – 1 May
• 1 May (Tuesday): Labor Day
• 20-21 May (Sunday and Monday): Pentecost
• 20 August (Monday): St. Stephen’s Day or the Day of the New Bread
• 22 October (Monday): rest day to make a 4 days long weekend 20 – 23 October
• 23 October (Tuesday): commemoration of the revolution in 1956
• 1 November (Thursday): All Hallows Day
• 2 November (Friday): rest day to make a 4 days long weekend 1 – 4 November
• 24 December (Monday): rest day to make an extra long 5-day Christmas holiday 22 – 26 December
• 25 – 26 December (Tuesday – Wednesday): 1^st and 2^nd day of Christmas
• 31 December (Monday): rest day for the long weekend celebrating New Year

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.

Working Saturdays in Hungary in 2018

• 10 March (for the long weekend 15 – 18 March)
• 21 April (for the long weekend of Labor Day 28 April – 1 May)
• 13 October (for the long weekend of 20 – 23 October)
• 10 November (for the long weekend of 1 – 4 November)
• 1 December (for a long Christmas holiday of 22 – 26 December)
• 15 December (for the long weekend celebrating New Year 29 December – 1 January)

Special days which are not bank holidays

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:

• 24 December (Monday): Christmas Eve
• 31 December (Monday): New Year’s Eve

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).

Business on bank holidays in Hungary

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).

Business on exchanged Saturdays in Hungary

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.

Seems complicated? Talk to your accountant

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.