Clarifications for the Easter holidays are given by the General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE).

In particular, the Confederation states in its announcement the following:

Good Friday (3/5/2024) is a mandatory half-day for shops. According to the law, the employment of employees and the operation of shops are prohibited until 13:00 on Good Friday.

For other businesses, Good Friday is not included in the statutory holidays for private sector workers.

However, private businesses in our country are late in the event that Good Friday is designated as a holiday or semi-holiday by a provision of the Collective Labor Agreement (CBA), by the company’s work regulations, by business habit and custom, during which the business remains closed on the day she.

Great Saturday (4/5/2024) is a working day for employees who are legally employed on Saturday in the private sector, unless a holiday or half-day has been established by a provision of the Labor Code, by the company’s work regulations, by business habit and custom, in which the business remains closed on this day.

For Easter Sunday (5/5/2024) the general Sunday holiday rule applies, i.e. the employment of employees is prohibited.

Employees employed in businesses that legally operate on Sundays and other statutory holidays are entitled to the following:

1) If they are paid a daily wage, their usual daily wage and a 75% surcharge, which will be calculated in their legal hourly wage for all the hours they are employed.

2) If they are paid a monthly salary, a 75% surcharge is due, which is calculated at 1/25 of their legal salary for all the hours they work.

3) Compensatory rest (day off). As long as employees work more than five hours on Sunday, they are entitled to additional and compensatory rest (day off) on another working day of the week.

In the event that more favorable conditions apply (e.g. from SSE, labor regulations, business custom or custom) regarding the pay increments for work on a Sunday, as well as a mandatory holiday, these prevail.

Easter Monday (6/5/2024) is a statutory holiday for all businesses.

In businesses that are not operating, the usual daily wage is paid without any increase to those who are paid a daily wage, while those who are paid a salary are paid their monthly salary.

The employees who will be employed are entitled to:

1) If they are paid a daily wage, their usual paid daily wage and a 75% surcharge, which will be calculated in their legal hourly wage for as many hours as they are employed.

2) In the event that employees are paid a monthly salary:

a) If it concerns businesses that legally operate on Sundays and other statutory holidays, a 75% surcharge is due, which is calculated at 1/25 of their legal salary for all the hours they work.

b) If it concerns businesses that are late on Sundays and public holidays and will exceptionally operate on Easter Monday, 1/25 of their usually paid salary is due and an additional 75% surcharge on the legal daily wage for all hours worked.

The above for the statutory holidays are also valid this year for Easter Tuesday (7/5/2024), a day to which May Day was transferred by ministerial decisions (B΄ 1406/2024, B΄ 1836/2024).

The following are highlighted:

– The provisions of the legislation on the Sunday holiday, the holidays of the Easter period, the weekly rest time of employees and the exceptions from them, depending on the activity and the nature of the work, are contained codified in articles 193-209 of the Individual Labor Code Law (PD 80/2022, A΄ 222).

– In the event that more favorable terms apply (e.g. from SSE, labor regulations, business custom or custom) regarding the pay increments for work on a mandatory holiday or Sunday, these prevail.

– On a mandatory holiday, the employment of workers and the operation of businesses, except for those that legally operate on Sundays and holidays, are prohibited.

– It is not legal to set off a day of due rest (day off) with a mandatory holiday.

– Mandatory holidays are not included in the annual leave with pay.

– On Sundays and mandatory holidays, any industrial, craft, commercial work and any professional activity in general is prohibited, except for the exceptions expressly stated in the legislation.

– Those businesses that do not fall under the exceptions of the law, cannot operate legally and, therefore, cannot employ workers, without having obtained a special permit from the competent Labor Inspectorate and, in the event of an emergency (risk of product destruction or damage to facilities or materials), after reporting to the police.

– The illegal employment of staff on Sunday or on mandatory holidays is classified as a very serious offense with the highest fine and further criminal liability of the employer.

Payment-Online Easter Gift calculation

Payment of the Easter Gift must be made by Holy Wednesday (May 1, 2024).

Finally, there is the possibility of online calculation of the Gift that employees are entitled to, by filling in the corresponding fields, which they will see in the app application or through the website at the following link: http://kepea.gr/calc-doro-pasxa.php.