Statutory holidays
Employees, irrespective of their length of service, are entitled to the following statutory holidays:
- The first day of January
- Lunar New Year’s Day
- The second day of Lunar New Year
- The third day of Lunar New Year
- Ching Ming Festival
- Labour Day, being the first day of May
- The Birthday of the Buddha
- Tuen Ng Festival
- Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day, being the first day of July
- The day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival
- Chung Yeung Festival
- National Day, being the first day of October
- Chinese Winter Solstice Festival or Christmas Day (at the option of the employer)
- The first weekday after Christmas Day
If employees are required to work on a statutory holiday, then their employers must give them an alternative holiday within 60 days before or after that statutory holiday with 48 hours’ advance notice.
Employers must NOT make any form of payment to an employee to replace a statutory holiday (or an alternative holiday).
Employers who fail to grant statutory holidays, alternative holidays or substituted holidays, or fail to pay holiday pay to employees are liable to prosecution and, upon conviction, to a fine of $50,000.