Public holidays and bridge days

Every year of work includes several public holidays, bridge days and half days when you are either given the entire day off or reduced working hours. Anyone ordered by their superior to work on a bridge day is entitled to overtime compensation.

For teachers and doctoral students, bridge days are work-free days, provided the annual working hours have been scheduled for other times.

Public holidays and bridge days 2026

Bridge days in 2026

Work-free bridge days in 2026 is January 2nd, January 5th and May 15th. If you are ordered to work on a bridge day, which may be necessary for certain functions, you are entitled to a simple overtime compensation.

Reduction of working hours

The following reduction is calculated for a full-time employee:

Reduced working hours for part-time employees

The working hours of a part-time employee will be reduced in proportion to their part-time employment. As an example, a full-time employee will have a 2-hour reduction of working hours during the Easter week (Maundy Thursday - 2 hours) while an employee working 60% will have their working hours reduced by 1 hour and 12 mins.

This is important to consider for those working less than five days a week, known as concentrated part-time. The scheduling of working hours may need adjustment in weeks containing bridge days and reduction of working hours. You can see in the annual work schedule how many hours you are required to work in each of these weeks. It does not matter which day/days you are off according to your normal schedule (weeks without bridge days and reduction of working hours). You adjust the scheduling in agreement with your manager. Norm time indicates how much you are supposed to work during a week if work is scheduled for all days of the week.