If, however, you have to work longer or especially on a holiday, then you will owe more money.
Who has to work an hour less
As the State Labor Inspectorate (VDI) informs, the Labor Code stipulates that the duration of the working day is reduced by 1 hour on the eve of holidays, except for employees working under reduced working hours, that is, the working day is shortened for everyone who is not entitled to work reduced hours.
The inspection draws attention to the fact that employees who are subject to reduced working time rates are specified in the description of reduced working time rates and payment procedures. Such workers include teachers, lecturers, pharmaceutical, healthcare professionals, etc.
Thus, the length of working time is shortened regardless of whether the employee works full-time or part-time, using the cumulative working time accounting mode, on call or otherwise.
The duration of the working day must be shortened by one hour on the day preceding the holiday, and the time sheet must indicate the time actually worked by the employee on that day.
VDI Labor Law Department head Ieva Piličiauskaitė notes that, taking into account the principle of fair payment for work, the criteria of justice, honesty and reasonableness, VDI Labor Law specialists are of the opinion that the shortened pre-holiday hours for employees must be paid at the wages specified in the employment contract.
It should also be noted that:
- if the employee works in several positions at the same employer, then the total duration of the employee’s working day is shortened by 1 hour, not separately for each position;
- if an employee starts work on the eve of a holiday and ends work on a holiday, the duration of his working day on the eve of the holiday must be shortened by 1 hour;
- in the event that, due to the peculiarities of work organization or production necessity, it is not possible to shorten the working time by one hour on the day before the holiday, overtime work could be organized, that is, with the consent of the employee, if this is stipulated in the collective agreement or there are other legal grounds.
How overtime is paid
VDI reminds that according to the Labor Code, overtime must be paid as follows:
- overtime work is paid at least 1.5 times the salary of the employee;
- for overtime work on a rest day, which is not determined according to the work (shift) schedule, or overtime work at night, no less than double the employee’s salary is paid;
- for overtime work on a holiday – a salary of at least 2.5 times the employee’s salary.
VDI emphasizes It should be emphasized that according to the Labor Code, an employee can also choose to compensate the overtime working time with a written request, not with an increased salary, but with rest time, multiplied by the corresponding amount, which is added to the annual vacation time.
For example, if an employee worked 4 hours of overtime on his day off, this time multiplied by 2 is added to the annual vacation time, thus the employee will take 8 hours of rest at a pre-agreed time.
In this case, overtime work actually worked is not paid on the rest day, but is paid (with wages) for the entire rest time, which is added to the annual leave.
