Talent & Tech Asia Summit 2024
What to do if a public holiday in Singapore falls on a Saturday: Employees’ entitlements

What to do if a public holiday in Singapore falls on a Saturday: Employees’ entitlements

Regardless of which day it falls on, employees will still be able to enjoy the benefits of a public holiday, Manpower Minister Dr. Tan See Leng has affirmed.

Employees covered under Singapore's Employment Act (EA) are entitled to either one extra day's pay or an off-in-lieu if a public holiday falls on a day they are not required to work, Minister for Manpower Dr. Tan See Leng has affirmed.

He recently said this while addressing a Parliamentary question by Member of Parliament (MP) Liang Eng Hwa, who had asked if the Government would consider making the following working day a public holiday should it fall on a Saturday. This proposal – similar to the treatment in place when a public holiday falls on a Sunday – is so as to improve family quality time and overall wellbeing, the MP noted.

In line with the above-mentioned application under the EA, however, Minister Tan pointed out that employees will be able to enjoy the benefits of a public holiday, regardless of the specific day of the week the public holiday falls on.

To recap, the following applies to employees covered under the EA:

  • Employees are entitled to 11 paid public holidays a year.
  • If employees are required to work on a public holiday, by default, employers should pay employees an extra day’s salary. Alternatively, by mutual agreement, the following should be provided: 
    • A public holiday in lieu.
    • Time off in lieu (only for employees not covered under Part IV of EA).
  • The extra day's salary should be at the basic rate of pay.
    • An employee's monthly gross salary already includes payment for the holiday, so employers only need to pay an additional day’s salary.
  • If employees are absent without reason on a working day before or after the holiday, they are not entitled to the holiday pay. Employers can therefore deduct one day’s pay at the gross rate from the employee's monthly gross salary. 
  • If the holiday falls on a rest day, the next working day will be a paid holiday.
  • If employees are on a five-day work week, Saturday would be considered a non-working day. 
    • For a public holiday that falls on a Saturday, they should get either a day off or a salary in lieu.
  • Employees are entitled to their gross rate of pay on a public holiday, if:
    • They were not absent on a working day immediately before or after a holiday without consent or a reasonable excuse.
    • They are not on authorised leave (e.g. sick leave, annual leave, unpaid leave) on the day immediately before or after a holiday.
  • Employees are not entitled to holiday pay if the holiday falls on their approved unpaid leave.
  • For employees not covered under the Employment Act, additional days off or extra salary in lieu should be given according to the terms of their employment contract.
  • If an employee is not covered under Part IV of the EA, employers can grant them time off in lieu of working on a public holiday. The time off should consist of a mutually agreed number of hours.
  • If there is no mutual agreement on the duration of time off in lieu, the employer can decide on one of the following:
    • Pay an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay for one day’s work.
    • For working four hours or less on a holiday, grant time off in lieu of 4 hours on a working day.
    • For working more than four hours on a holiday, grant a full day off on a working day.

ALSO READ: Singapore's updated public holiday dates for 2023: New date for Vesak Day


Image / Shutterstock

Follow us on Telegram and on Instagram @humanresourcesonline for all the latest HR and manpower news from around the region!

Follow us on Telegram and on Instagram @humanresourcesonline for all the latest HR and manpower news from around the region!

Free newsletter

Get the daily lowdown on Asia's top Human Resources stories.

We break down the big and messy topics of the day so you're updated on the most important developments in Asia's Human Resources development – for free.

subscribe now open in new window