7 long weekends in Singapore's 2017 public holidays

Singapore's Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has just unveiled its list of 11 gazetted public holiday for 2017, giving seven reasons for employers and their teams to rejoice - long weekends.

The following is the full list of holidays: [* marks the seven long weekends]

1. 1 Jan 2017 - New Year's Day - Sunday*
2. 28-29 Jan 2017 - Chinese New Year - Saturday and Sunday*
3. 14 Apr 2017 - Good Friday - Friday*
4. 1 May 2017 - Labour Day  - Monday*
5. 10 May 2017 - Vesak Day - Wednesday
6. 25 Jun 2017 - Hari Raya Puasa - Sunday*
7. 9 Aug 2017 - National Day - Wednesday
8. 1 Sep 2017 - Hari Raya Haji - Friday*
9. 18 Oct 2017 - Deepavali - Wednesday
10. 25 Dec 2017 - Christmas - Monday*

With New Year's Day, Lunar New Year, and Hari Raya Puasa landing on a Sunday, employees can expect three bonus Monday holidays in lieu. [the * marks the seven long weekends]

ALSO READ: What happens to your staff when they go abroad for holidays?

MOM has reminded employers that employee required to work on a public holiday are entitled to an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay, mandated by the Employment Act.

Alternatively, the employer and employee may mutually agree to substitute a public holiday for another working day.

Employer also have the option of granting managers or executives, earning up to a basic monthly salary of $4,500, time-off-in-lieu for working on a public holiday - in the form of mutually agreed number of hours.

Further, if a public holiday falls on a Saturday, an employee not required to work on a Saturday is entitled to another day off or an extra day’s salary in lieu of that public holiday.

Image: Shutterstock