2025 Labor Holiday Guide: Statutory Holiday Arrangements Employers Must Know
For businesses operating in Hong Kong, understanding and properly handling employee holiday arrangements is a basic responsibility of every employer. With updates to the Employment Ordinance, statutory holidays are gradually increasing. What are the special arrangements for holidays in 2025? What are the differences between statutory holidays and public holidays? This article will analyze the statutory holiday system in 2025 in depth to help you legally manage business operations.
Statutory Holidays vs Public Holidays: Key Differences Analysis
In Hong Kong, many people often confuse the concepts of "statutory holidays" and "public holidays". As a business operator, it is crucial to clearly understand their differences, as this directly relates to employee holiday entitlements and corporate legal responsibilities.
Statutory Holidays (Labor Holidays/Red Days)
Statutory holidays, also commonly known as "labor holidays" or "red days", are mandatory holidays stipulated by the Employment Ordinance. These holidays apply to all employees, regardless of their years of service, whether they have continuous contracts, and even include foreign domestic workers.
Notably, according to legislative amendments, starting from 2022, statutory holidays will increase by one day every two years until reaching 17 days in 2030. 2025 continues the 2024 arrangement with 14 statutory holidays.
Important reminder: In 2025, employers can choose either Winter Solstice (December 21) or Christmas Day (December 25) as a statutory holiday!
Public Holidays (Bank Holidays)
Public holidays, commonly known as "bank holidays", are holidays stipulated by the Public Holidays Ordinance, fixed at 17 days annually. These holidays mainly apply to banks, educational institutions, public organizations, and government departments. Worth noting is that every Sunday is also considered a public holiday.
Currently, there are 3 more public holidays than statutory holidays, namely:
- Good Friday (April 18)
- Day following Good Friday (April 19)
- Easter Monday (April 21)
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