The festive season brings both perks and challenges for those working during the holidays. While employees can benefit from holiday pay bonuses, they might face unexpected schedule changes that could disrupt their personal plans.
According to labor laws, employers can only mandate holiday work under specific circumstances. These include continuous operations, covering for absent colleagues, urgent repair work, or inventory counts. As labor law expert Václav Vlk from Rödl & Partner explains, “Unless it falls under these legal provisions, the decision to work lies with the employee”.
Holiday work comes with attractive compensation – employees are entitled to either paid time off or a premium payment of at least 100% of their average earnings on top of their regular salary. In simple terms, workers can earn at least double their usual rate. The choice between compensation options typically rests with the employee, though employers must prioritize offering time off over financial compensation.
However, there’s a catch for those whose holiday plans get disrupted. If an employee has pre-booked travel tickets or accommodation and must cancel due to mandatory holiday work, the employer isn’t obligated to reimburse these expenses. The only exceptions are cases involving scheduled vacation changes, workplace harassment, abuse of rights, or actions contrary to good business practices.