2020 public holidays: Singapore to have bumper crop of 7 long weekends

SINGAPORE — Planning for a vacation in 2020? With seven long weekends next year, there are plenty of opportunities for a quick getaway.

Next year will see a total of 11 gazetted public holidays, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) on Monday (April 8).

The public holidays that fall on either a Friday or Sunday in 2020 are:

• Chinese New Year (Sun, Jan 26)

• Good Friday (April 10)

• Labour Day (Fri, May 1)

• Hari Raya Puasa (Sun, May 24)

• Hari Raya Haji (Fri, July 31)

• National Day (Sun, Aug 9)

• Christmas Day (Fri, Dec 25)

This is the most number of long weekends in a year since 2017. There were only four long weekends in 2018 and 2019.

Under the amended Employment Act, all managers and executives are entitled to paid public holidays from April 1, 2019, added MOM.

Previously, only managers and executives earning up to S$4,500 a month were entitled to this.

Employees who work on a public holiday are entitled to an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay. Alternatively, employers and staff can agree to substitute a public holiday for another working day.

Employers may also grant certain staff time off in lieu of working on a public holiday, which should consist of a mutually agreed number of hours.

Eligible employees include workmen earning more than S$4,500 a month, non-workmen earning more than S$2,600 a month, and all managers and executives, said MOM.

The full list of public holidays in 2020 is available on the MOM website.