Only 4 long weekends next year, half as many as this year

Of the 11 annual public holidays in 2021, 3 fall on a Friday and one is on a Monday

Drones flying in the shape of a crane during the fireworks display at the countdown celebration in Marina Bay on Jan 1. New Year's Day next year falls on a Friday. The other Friday holidays are Chinese New Year on Feb 12 and Good Friday on April 2. T
Drones flying in the shape of a crane during the fireworks display at the countdown celebration in Marina Bay on Jan 1. New Year's Day next year falls on a Friday. The other Friday holidays are Chinese New Year on Feb 12 and Good Friday on April 2. The Aug 9 National Day holiday falls on a Monday. ST FILE PHOTO

There will be four long weekends next year, four fewer than this year, going by the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) gazetted public holidays for 2021.

Of the 11 annual public holidays next year, three fall on a Friday and one is on a Monday, MOM said yesterday.

The Friday holidays next year are New Year's Day, Chinese New Year on Feb 12 and Good Friday on April 2. The Aug 9 National Day holiday falls on a Monday.

The other holidays are Chinese New Year on Feb 13, Labour Day on May 1, Hari Raya Puasa on May 13, Vesak Day on May 26, Hari Raya Haji on July 20, Deepavali on Nov 4 and Christmas Day on Dec 25.

The four long weekends next year form the fewest number in recent years.

There were seven in 2015 and 2017, six in 2016, and five in 2012 and 2011.

There were also only four long weekends in 2013, 2014, 2018 and last year.

There were supposed to be seven long weekends this year, but MOM announced yesterday that Polling Day for the general election on July 10, a Friday, will be a public holiday.

This means this year now has eight long weekends.

"(Polling Day) should be treated in the same manner as any other public holiday," MOM said.

Employees who work on the gazetted days next year, as well as Polling Day this year, are entitled to an extra day's salary at the basic rate of pay, unless employers and workers agree to substitute the employee's day off on another working day.

Employers can also choose to grant time-off-in-lieu for an agreed number of hours to employees for working on a public holiday, although this option applies only for employers of workmen earning more than $4,500 a month, non-workmen earning more than $2,600 a month, and all managers and executives.

The MOM announcement comes amid the coronavirus pandemic and continued uncertainty over whether Singaporeans will be allowed to travel overseas next year.

The past few months have seen borders closed and flights cut, although some countries have more recently restarted limited travel.

Recruitment experts said that how workers approach long weekends will change because of the coronavirus pandemic.

"Depending on how the aviation and travel industries have recovered next year, or how the threat of Covid-19 is perceived around the world, travel might not be the main way workers spend the long weekends," said Mr David Ang, director for corporate services at Human Capital Singapore.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on June 25, 2020, with the headline Only 4 long weekends next year, half as many as this year. Subscribe