The SUN HK : One more statutory holiday to be added from next year

FDWs will have a longer Christmas celebration starting next year

From next year, another statutory holiday in Hong Kong will be added, making a total of 14.

The extra holiday that can be enjoyed by all workers in Hong Kong is the first working day after Christmas, which is usually December 26. An extra holiday must be given if Christmas or the day after falls on a rest day.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

Currently, December 26 which is also known as “Boxing Day” in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, is designated as a public holiday, or a day when most business, government and schools are closed as a matter of practice. But it is not a statutory holiday.

In line with the amendment to the Employment Ordinance passed in 2021, statutory holidays will be increased every two years from 2022 to 2030 to align them with the 17 public holidays in Hong Kong.

PINDUTIN DITO!

The first statutory holiday that was added in 2022 was the Birthday of the Buddha, which falls on May 8.

After next year’s extra day-off for all workers, the next to be declared as statutory holiday is Easter Monday starting in 2026, Good Friday from 2028, and the day following Good Friday from 2030.

PINDUTIN PARA SA DETALYE

The Employment Ordinance provides that all workers employed under a continuous contract (or those employed continuously for four weeks or more, with at least 18 hours worked each week) for not less than three months shall be entitled to a statutory holiday.

Below is a list of all the statutory holidays for 2024. For any enquiries, please call the Labour Department’s 24-hour hotline, 2717 1771 (manned by 1823).

BASAHIN ANG DETALYE

Statutory Holidays for 2024

The 14 statutory holidays for 2024 are:

1.	The first day of January	1 January
2.	Lunar New Year's Day	10 February
3.	The third day of Lunar New Year	12 February
4.	The fourth day of Lunar New Year	13 February
5.	Ching Ming Festival	4 April
6.	Labour Day	1 May
7.	The Birthday of the Buddha	15 May
8.	Tuen Ng Festival	10 June
9.	Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day	1 July
10.	The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival	18 September
11.	National Day	1 October
12.	Chung Yeung Festival	11 October
13.	Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day (at the option of the employer)	21 December or 25 December
14.	The first weekday after Christmas Day*	26 December

*According to the Employment (Amendment) Ordinance 2021, the newly added statutory holiday from 2024 onwards is the first weekday after Christmas Day.

Please note:

（i）According to the Employment Ordinance, when either Lunar New Year's Day, the second day of the Lunar New Year or the third day of the Lunar New Year falls on a Sunday, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year is designated as a statutory holiday in substitution; and in the event that the day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival falls on a Sunday, the day thereafter (i.e. the 17th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar) is designated as a statutory holiday in substitution. As the second day of Lunar New Year of 2024 falls on a Sunday, the fourth day of Lunar New Year will be designated as a statutory holiday.

（ii）All employees are entitled to the above statutory holidays. If the statutory holiday falls on a rest day, a holiday should be granted on the day following the rest day which is not a statutory holiday or an alternative holiday or a substituted holiday or a rest day. An employee having been employed under a continuous contract for not less than 3 months is entitled to the holiday pay which is equivalent to the daily average wages earned by the employee in the 12-month period preceding the holiday.