18th of March "Clean Monday" – how will those who work be paid?

Clean (Holy) Monday – the first day of Easter Lent, which this year “falls” on March 18 – is an ideal respite for those who do not work and have the opportunity to relax.

However there are numerous private and public sector workers who will continue to work as usual because this day is not an official holiday. As paradoxical as it may sound, this day is not one of the official holidays established by law for private sector workers, but it is considered holidayno different from other holidays such as August 15 or Christmas.

What a private sector worker should know

The company observes the holiday only if if so provided collective agreement or business customs or local traditions. In other words, a holiday is a day off if it is declared a holiday in accordance with the provisions of the collective agreementcompany rules, customs or business traditions, according to which the company is closed on this day.

Accordingly, in the case if employees do not work, their wages are not reduced, while those who receive daily wages are entitled to receive their daily wages (Article 2(3) of Law No. 3755/1955). In addition, if on this day, as an exception, the enterprise is open (i.e. it was closed in previous years), then employees have the right to additional money for their work.

How is Clean (Holy) Monday 2024 paid in the private sector

For full-time workers, bonus of 1/25 salaryand for those working on a daily rate, another daily rate, based on the hourly rate of which a 75 percent bonus for working on holidays will be calculated.

Public holidays in 2024 in the private sector

Statutory holidays (except those falling on Saturday or Sunday), in which all industrial, handicraft, commercial work, professional activities, as well as the hiring of workers are prohibited, following:

1. January 1st, which is added to the mandatory holidays in accordance with article 60 of Law 4808/2021
2. January 6 (Epiphany), which is added to the obligatory holidays in accordance with Article 60 of Law 4808/2021
3. March 25
4. Clean (Holy) Monday
5. Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (August 15)
6. Feast of the Nativity of Christ (December 25)
7. The second day of Christmas (December 26), which is added to the mandatory holidays according to Article 42 of Law 4554/2018.
8. May 1st, which, in accordance with Article 14 of Law 4468/2017, is declared a public holiday. The same provision provided that, by decision of the Minister of Labour, Social Security and Social Solidarity, the public holiday of May 1st is transferred to another working day if it coincides with a Sunday, Holy Week or Easter Monday.
9. October 28, which is added to the mandatory holidays in accordance with Article 60 of Law 4808/2021.
10. Other holidays, up to five (5) per year, may be designated by decisions of the Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, issued after the conclusion of the ASE and published in the Government Gazette, as obligatory or optional holidays throughout the territory.

As for local holidays, responsibility for them lies with regional governors. Following the same procedure, established holidays can be canceled or modified (Article 60 of Law 4808/2021).

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