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May holidays cost employers €510 million

Photo courtesy Toerisme Wenduine/De Haan, Westtoer
11:20 15/05/2015

The concentration of public holidays in May is costing employers a total of €510 million, according to economists. May is unusual in having three public holidays: Labour Day on 1 May, Ascension on 14 May and Pentecost on 25 May.

This concentration of three holidays in one month means a loss of income for small businesses that close on those days, while staff have to be paid. The option of giving employees another day off in lieu of the actual holiday is not available to all, particularly those with children at school, whose holidays are not flexible.

The French employers’ organisation has proposed dropping two public holidays from their annual total of 11, but no similar idea has been suggested in Belgium. 

Written by Alan Hope

Comments

salsadancer

It's about time Belgium got rid of these constant holidays in May with offices and people "faisant le pont" which means even if you go to work on the Friday and the office is closed on Thursday, nothing can be done on Friday. This is not professional and very, very old fashioned. Get with it, Belgium!

May 15, 2015 12:15
Mikek1300gt

I suspect Belgium, and much of the EU will not "get with it" until it goes broke.

May 16, 2015 15:11
SophiaD

I really don't get this! it seems that some people are confused about purpose of life. We were not born to earth just to work, we work so we can enjoy other aspect of life! Take the long weekend and the holidays and spend it with your family and friends. Believe me, the world would not end if your work is delayed by 2 days (unless of course you are in process of preventing an Armageddon)!

May 18, 2015 10:13