Did you know? Public holiday eves
If you were working in a store on Easter Saturday, you’ll get at least two public holiday eves off before the end of the year – or double pay.
The Collective Agreement for the Commercial Sector, section 7 (2.3), stipulates as follows: ‘A permanent employee shall have 2 of the following public holiday eves off: Easter Saturday, Midsummer’s Eve, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve.’
Opening hours in the commerce sector were deregulated as part of a change in the law, but this does not affect clauses in the collective agreement. The right to get two out of four public holiday eves off during a calendar year was negotiated for the sector’s collective agreement back in the day. Employers may also pay 100% on top of regular pay for work performed on public holiday eves instead of giving staff those days off. Employers should make sure that days off are allocated equally.
Were you aware of this collective agreement clause, sales advisor Heini Tamminen from H&M?
I didn’t remember the exact number, but I did know that there is a right to get some public holiday eves off.
How do eves off work out at your workplace?
At least from my own point of view, they have worked out well!
In what way has this clause influenced your life?
Last time, I had days off on Christmas Eve and Midsummer’s Eve before that, on New Year’s Eve I was at work, but I didn’t have a shift at Easter. It may therefore be the case that I’ll be working on Midsummer’s Eve this year. At Christmas, all my family members were at home. I cooked and I had also invited my mother and her boyfriend to join us. Then again, I don’t mind working on public holiday eves every once in a while, because the money is good.
Text:: Tuomas Lehto