Planning for public holidays and extra public holidays in 2016

 

• Human Rights Day
  Monday, 21 March 2016
• Good Friday
  Friday, 25 March 2016
• Family Day
  Monday, 28 March 2016
• Freedom Day
  Wednesday, 27 April 2016
• Workers’ Day
  Sunday, 1 May 2016
• Public Holiday
  Monday, 2 May 2016
• Youth Day
  Thursday, 16 June 2016
• National Women’s Day
  Tuesday, 9 August 2016
• Heritage Day
  Saturday, 24 September 2016
• Day of Reconciliation
  Friday, 16 December 2016
• Christmas Day
  Sunday, 25 December 2016
• Day of Goodwill
  Monday, 26 December 2016
• New Year’s Day
  Sunday, 1 January 2017
• Public Holiday
  Monday, 2 January 2017

Workers’ Day on Sunday, 1 May 2016 is the only public holiday, except 1 January 2017 that falls on a Sunday. Monday the 2nd of May 2016 becomes an additional public holiday in terms of the Public Holidays Act.

Two consecutive public holidays, as opposed to one, impact more severely on working and shift arrangements. Employers need to consider and plan in advance for this occasion. Collective agreements and Bargaining Council Collective agreements may also govern public holidays, working arrangements and shifts.

Employees who are on strike on public holidays are not entitled to any remuneration as they would not have ‘ordinarily worked’ on any day of the strike, including the public holiday.

Employers can expect requests for additional days off on Friday, 17 June 2016 and Monday, 8 August 2016 to convert those periods into long weekends. Employers are advised to timeously make arrangements with employees who wish to take extra days off to take leave or to work in those days.

An additional public holiday may be expected for the local government elections which takes place between May and August 2016.

For more information contact our employment law practice or Faan Coetzee.