Work Pay on "Kathara Deytera"

"Kathara Deytera" (Holiday) is not included in the mandatory holidays defined by the Law, during which all industrial, craft and commercial work, professional activity, as well as the employment of employees are prohibited. Therefore, "Kathara Deytera"  is considered a working day for those employed in the private sector.

In the event that the business operates normally on that day, the employees who will be employed will be paid as follows: If they are paid a daily wage, they are entitled to the usual daily wage, while if they are paid a monthly wage, they are entitled to their monthly wage, without any additional remuneration.

It should be pointed out that the person paid a daily wage, who is not employed, on an exceptional holiday, due to an obstacle not due to him, is entitled to receive a daily wage (Article 2 §3 of Law 3755/57). However, this does not apply to "Kathara Deytera", since this is not considered an exceptional holiday.

In the event that the business is usually closed on "Kathara Deytera", it does not owe a day's wages to those who are paid by the day. Those paid with a monthly salary, however, are entitled to their full monthly salary.

Finally, in the event that the business operates exceptionally well this year, while in previous years it remained closed on that particular day, the daily wage earner will receive his daily wage, in accordance with the employer's provisions on overtime, while the monthly wage earner is entitled to receive in addition to his normal monthly salary, 1/25 of it. In particular, he receives as many hourly wages as the hours of his employment. The additional pay applies because in this case, in the normal practice of the business, "Kathara Deytera" was not a working day and therefore, the employees' normal monthly salary did not include pay for that day.

It is noted that on "Kathara Deytera" , as well as on Sundays and other special holidays, the operation of bakeries and the employment of employees in the work of selling bread and baking food is allowed until 14:00 (art. 7 §4 of Law 748/77, which was issued under the authority of art. 4§3 of Law 4504/66).

Dimitra Hadzi

Tr. Lawyer