In May, Russians will celebrate two major holidays: Spring and Labor Day on May 1st, and Victory Day on May 9th. These holidays come with extended time off this year: from April 28th to May 1st, and from May 9th to May 12th.
For those required to work during these holidays, compensation must be at least double the regular pay rate, as stipulated by Article 153 of the Russian Labor Code. Specific amounts, however, may be defined by collective agreements or employment contracts.
Employers must obtain written consent from employees to work on holidays, except in cases of emergencies, such as accidents or life-threatening situations.
If an employee agrees to work on a holiday, the compensation must be no less than double the usual rate, and in some instances, it can be triple or even quadruple. Additionally, employees have the option to take compensatory time off on other days.
Piece-rate workers must be paid at least double. For those on hourly or daily wages, holiday work must also be compensated at no less than double the regular rate.
Increased pay only applies to the hours worked during holidays and weekends. If work was only performed partially on these days, the enhanced pay is calculated only for the hours worked, experts consulted by Life clarified.
Furthermore, they mentioned that the workday is shortened by one hour when shifted to a Saturday or Sunday. However, if a workday is followed by a day off, there is no reduction in working hours.
This year, there are five shortened workdays, with one of them falling on May 8th.
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