Holiday Falls on a Sunday: Should Employees Get an Extra Day Off?

Hello seniors, I would like to get your views on a matter that is confusing me. If a holiday such as Dussehra or 15 August falls on a Sunday, is it mandatory to give employees an additional day off?

Thanks,
Nandini

While declaring Paid Holidays for a particular year, these aspects should be taken care of. Suppose your organization permits 10 PHs, include any other festival holidays if popular holidays fall on Sundays at the beginning of the calendar year itself.

Regards,
R. Ponraj

Dear Nandini, I agree with the correct opinion given by Mr. Ponraj. This is how the number and days of Closed Holidays/Paid Festival Holidays are fixed at the beginning of the year. No Compensatory Off is given in case a National/Closed holiday falls on a Sunday (if it is the Weekly Off day and employees are not required to work on that day).

Warm regards.

Hi Nandhini, I agree with Ponraj. As he mentioned, holidays should be carefully considered when declared. If a festival or holiday falls on a Sunday, we can disregard that particular day and choose another holiday that falls on a weekday.

Regards,
Navin

It is not mandatory to give a compensatory holiday for a holiday that falls on a Sunday. However, if the company has agreed to declare a certain number of days as holidays for the year, then it may declare other days as holidays or provide additional holidays for festivals like Pongal, Diwali, Dussehra, etc.

Dear Nandani, I am sorry, but your query is a bit ridiculous. It seems that your company does not have a policy regarding the declaration of holidays. Normally, the employees' representatives (Union) are taken into confidence while declaring holidays for the ensuing year. The holidays that fall on off days are not considered at all. Only holidays falling on working days are normally declared.

I don't know whether you have a union or not. But had there been one, there would not have occurred such a situation as the union never allows management to declare an off day as a holiday.

If a national holiday (Republic Day, Independence Day & Gandhi Jayanti) falls on a Sunday, do you give a compensatory holiday for it? No, I think it is not necessary to give a compensatory holiday.

Regards,
Rohit

National and Festival Holidays in Tamil Nadu

In Tamil Nadu, as per the National and Festival Holidays Act, each establishment is required to declare four National Holidays (26 Jan, 01 May, 15 Aug, and 02 Oct) and five other Festival Holidays in consultation with the union, if you have one.

The four National Holidays and five Festival Holidays are intimated to the factories inspectorate for approval each year. Upon receiving the approval, they are displayed on the company's notice board for the benefit of employees.

Handling Holidays Falling on a Sunday

To answer your query about what happens if a Festival Holiday or National Holiday falls on a Sunday: Generally, most companies give employees a holiday for another festival that falls on a weekday during the year. For example, if 15 Aug falls on a Sunday, then if Ganesh Chathurthi falls on a weekday, it is declared as a holiday, and so on.

However, if you choose not to give a compensatory holiday, you need to pay one day's extra wage (as it fell on a Sunday). This procedure is practiced by many companies. In general, an alternate day is given to employees.

When the Government declares the list of holidays, they generally include all holidays, including those that fall on Sunday. However, the Government does not notify any compensatory holiday (perhaps due to the numerous holidays declared, with almost all festival holidays being declared holidays).

Trust the matter is clarified.

Regards,
M.V. KANNAN