Good Friday is an official holiday, yet many people have to work: ‘We are not a leader in days off’ | Work

The Netherlands has a total of eleven national holidays, including Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. Good Friday also belongs to this list, the government said on its website. But unlike the aforementioned holidays, many employees simply have to show up for work today.

A national holiday does not mean that you are entitled to a day off as standard. “In the Netherlands we are not a leader in days off at all,” says Guus Staats, spokesperson for FNV. “We also see that employees from fewer and fewer companies are getting time off on Good Friday. Employers and employees in the Netherlands can determine this themselves in the collective labor agreement.”

Employment lawyer Mariska Aantjes explains: “The law does not stipulate that employees must be given time off on official holidays. The government has left this to the companies and entrepreneurs themselves.” Yet many employees are free on public holidays such as Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. “Yes, strangely enough they are never up for discussion. Almost every collective labor agreement or employment contract states that you will be given time off on these days.”

We would rather see Liberation Day become a day off every year

Guus Staats, FNV Spokesman

This is in contrast to Good Friday or, for example, Liberation Day. “These are both holidays, but companies deal with this very differently,” says Aantjes. The employment lawyer sees that almost every collective labor agreement or company arrangement deals with Good Friday differently. “The collective labor agreement of the universities states that employees are free. Many people have to work in the catering industry. The latter also makes sense, because spring has just started.”

In addition, there are also collective labor agreements that grant an irregularity allowance or regard this day as a normal working day. “Sometimes the collective labor agreement still states that employees can leave earlier, just like on the day before Christmas,” says Aantjes.

Every company or sector therefore handles Good Friday differently. Staats: “It just depends on how much value the company and its employees attach to this holiday. Companies with a Catholic or Christian origin often give today off, just as it is often a day off at schools.” And of course there are also companies where people simply have to continue working on Good Friday, such as in healthcare. “In this case they will receive an irregularity allowance,” says Staats.

However, the FNV does not believe that dealing with Good Friday should be the same for everyone. “For us, Good Friday does not have to become a national day off. We would rather see Liberation Day become a day off every year, but employers think it is too expensive. That is why it is now only every five years.” The CNV union is also not going to the barricades to make Good Friday a day off, a spokesperson indicates.

But, for example, exchange Good Friday for Liberation Day or Eid-al-Fitr. Is that possible? Aantjes: “You could discuss that at work, it is becoming more and more common.” Eid-al-Fitr is not yet a national holiday. “That is necessary to make it a day off, otherwise your leave will still be waived – just like a normal day off.” Unless a company uses an exchange holiday or so-called diversity day. “Then the employees can choose how they spend this day.”

This article previously appeared on this site and has been updated.

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