4 long weekends in 2019 from public holidays, the same as this year

THE Ministry of Manpower on Wednesday released the dates of the 11 gazetted public holiday dates for 2019, with National Day (Friday) and Hari Raya Haji (Sunday, Aug 11) falling on the same weekend.

The three other public holidays are Good Friday (Friday, April 19); Vesak Day (Sunday, May 19) and Deepavali (Sunday, Oct 27).

This makes for four long weekends for workers in 2019, the same as this year.

But with the Chinese New Year public holidays falling on Tuesday (Feb 5) and Wednesday (Feb 6), those who manage to take leave on the preceding Monday (Feb 4) will be able to enjoy a fifth very long weekend.

New Year's Day falls on a Tuesday, while both Hari Raya Puasa (June 5) and Christmas Day fall on Wednesday.

Under the Employment Act, an employee who is required to work on a public holiday is entitled to an extra day's salary at the basic rate of pay.

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

Moreover, employers also have the option of granting managers and executives, earning up to a basic monthly salary of S$4,500, time-off-in-lieu for working on a public holiday, MOM said.

The time off should consist of a mutually agreed number of hours, it added.