Bank holidays in 2021 Hungary

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Hungarian bank holidays and other special days in 2021

• 1 January 2021 (Friday): New Year’s Day
• 15 March (Monday): commemoration of the revolution in 1848
• 2 April – 4&5 April (Friday – Monday): 4-day long weekend with Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday
• 1 May (Saturday): Labor Day
• 23 May – 24 May (Sunday and Monday): Pentecost
• 20 August (Friday): St. Stephen’s Day or the Day of the New Bread
• 23 October (Saturday): commemoration of the revolution in 1956
• 1 November (Monday): All Hallows’ Day
• 11 December (Saturday): working day in exchange for the rest day on 24 December (Friday)
• 24 December (Friday): rest day to make a 3-day long Christmas weekend 24 – 26 December; also a “short day”
• 25 – 26 December (Saturday – Sunday): 1^st and 2^nd day of Christmas
• 31 December (Friday): “short day”, New Year’s Eve
• 1 January 2022 (Saturday): New Year’s Day

Regular working days and rest days

In Hungary, regular working days are Monday through Friday. Most people work on these days, during the day, usually 8 hours from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. As a result, every Saturday and Sunday is a rest day. Of course, many people work on rest days too, especially if they work for shops, restaurants, free-time facilities, or utilities. Their wages are regulated by special rules.

Bank holidays

Bank holidays in Hungary are usually related to nationwide celebration, commemoration, or religious festivals. Shops are typically closed, public transport operates fewer vehicles, and only restaurants and free-time facilities are open. On these days, employees working regular shifts (Monday through Friday) are not required to work. If you run a business that can be open on such a day, e.g. if you are in a business that gives continuous service, like a restaurant or an IT provider, you will have to pay a wage supplement, of which you can learn more from our article on overtime payment.

In 2021, many bank holidays fall on weekends, which means no changes for your company if your employees work Monday through Friday. However, please note that Saturdays and Sundays that are bank holidays are different from regular rest days regarding the options for business operation.

Long weekends and exchanged Saturdays

In Hungary, people prefer to have long weekends to having one holiday in the middle of the week. Because of that, if a bank holiday falls on Tuesday or Thursday, the Monday or Friday next to it will turn into a rest day to let people enjoy a 4-day long weekend. In exchange, the Saturday preceding or following it will become a working day. (This is always regulated by law, so you can check such days in official calendars.)

Working Saturdays are full working days. Concerning timetables, they are considered “Fridays”, while the preceding calendar Friday becomes a “Thursday”. This might be important if e.g. your employees are allowed to leave early on Fridays. On the calendar Friday of such a week, employees will stay full-time, as on a Thursday, but they will leave early the next day, as on a Friday.

While these Saturdays are full working days, many employers are more lenient with their staff on such days. Sometimes employees are allowed to leave earlier, sometimes special events are organized that are not strictly related to work, with e.g. team building or competence training activities.

In any case, it is your right to decide what to expect from your employees on such days. You can expect them to work full-time, as they are supposed to, or you might even waive your right to have employees working on these Saturdays. At the same time, your employees can also take these Saturdays off, same as regular working days.

Short days: special days that are not bank holidays

Apart from the above listed bank holidays and other rest days, there are two special days that are regularly working days, but still “short days”. On these days, employees are allowed to leave early, shops close early, and public transportation switches to night mode already around 4 p.m.

• 24 December (Friday): also a rest day in 2021
• 31 December (Friday): New Year’s Eve

When planning work loads for this season, keep in mind that your employees may want to leave early on these days, or even take these days off. If in doubt about your rights and obligations regarding these days, consult your HR specialist or your accountant.

Want to learn more? Consult your accountant

When planning work loads and schedules for the month, always consult a calendar that indicates bank holidays and exchanged Saturdays, and consult your accountant, payroll specialist, or HR specialist to learn when you must pay wage supplements to your employees. This will let you better calculate your budget and make informed business decisions.

If you have any questions or doubts about pay wage supplements or business regulations in Hungary, Helpers is your friend. We have 16 years of experience in business services and a team of experts at your disposal. Book your consultation today!