Public holidays

Singapore's public holidays are gazetted days on which most employees are entitled to paid leave. As of 2024, Singapore observes ten public holidays: New Year's Day, Chinese New Year (two days), Good Friday, Hari Raya Puasa (Eid al-Fitr), Labour Day, Vesak Day, Hari Raya Haji (Eid al-Adha), National Day, Deepavali (Diwali), and Christmas Day. These holidays reflect Singapore's multicultural society and include observances from Christian, Islamic, Hindu, and Chinese traditions alongside civic commemorations.

The Employment Act and the Public Holidays Act, administered by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), establish the statutory framework governing public holidays in Singapore. The MOM publishes the official public holiday calendar annually, which employers must reference to ensure compliance.

Employers must grant employees paid leave on all gazetted public holidays. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, the employer must pay the employee at least one day's ordinary rate of pay in addition to the regular wages for that day. If the public holiday falls on a rest day, the employee is entitled to a paid day off in lieu, typically granted on the following working day or at a time mutually agreed between employer and employee.

Payroll teams must ensure that public holiday payments are correctly calculated and recorded in monthly payroll processing. Employers should maintain updated records of which employees worked on public holidays and the corresponding additional compensation paid. Failure to grant public holiday entitlements or pay the required additional remuneration constitutes a breach of employment law and may result in penalties imposed by the MOM.