In 2027, it will be more advantageous for Belarusians to plan their vacations so that they cover non-working public holidays: January 1, 2, and 7, as well as May 1 and 9.

These days are not counted as calendar days of labor vacation, so the actual rest is extended without using vacation days.

How to choose the dates

In January 2027, the non-working public holidays will be January 1, 2, and 7.

If a vacation or part of it falls on these dates, the employee will get three additional days of rest, and they will not be deducted from the vacation.

In May, the non-working days will be May 1 and 9.

By attaching a vacation to these holidays, you can extend your rest by two more days.

Important: You cannot start a labor vacation on a non-working public holiday.

Therefore, to "catch" all the January holidays, the vacation may need to be started as early as December 2026.

How vacation pay is calculated

Vacation pay is calculated based on the average earnings for the 12 months preceding the month the vacation begins.

The calculation includes payments envisioned by the wage system, including bonuses.

Bonuses are accounted for in the month to which they fall according to the employee's personal account.

Therefore, the amount of vacation pay may differ depending on whether there were bonuses and other additional payments in the calculation period.

State holidays and public holidays declared as non-working are not included in the number of calendar days of labor vacation and are not paid as vacation pay.

When a vacation can be replaced with money

By agreement between the employee and the employer, monetary compensation can replace part of the labor vacation exceeding 21 calendar days.

Compensation is also possible for unused vacation balance if the employee is recalled from vacation.

Vacation replacement with money is not allowed for:

• pregnant women;
• employees under 18 years of age;
• employees with disabilities;
• employees for whom the vacation was provided in advance;
• for additional vacations for work under harmful or dangerous conditions;
• for vacations for work in zones of radioactive pollution and for special types of work.

How to plan your rest profitably

To get the maximum number of rest days, it is worth coordinating the vacation schedule with the employer in advance and choosing a period close to the holidays.

January and May can be especially advantageous: the holiday days increase the actual duration of the rest without consuming vacation days.

Before formalizing the vacation, it is useful to clarify with the accountant which bonuses will be included in the average earnings calculation, as well as to check how many days of vacation have already been used for the working year.