What Are The Public Holidays in Bahamas in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Bahamas (2026)

Bahamas law sets out a clear list of national public holidays that apply across all islands, with substitute days when certain holidays fall on a weekend. Use this table to plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your Bahamian team in 2026.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, under Bahamian labour law, employees who normally work on the day a public holiday falls are generally entitled to a paid day off at their basic rate of pay when the business is closed for the holiday. Public holidays are national rather than regional, so the same rules apply across New Providence, Grand Bahama, and the Family Islands.

If a public holiday falls on a non-working day, such as a Saturday or Sunday, the government typically declares an observed day (usually the following Monday). For payroll and leave purposes, you should treat the observed day as the public holiday for employees’ paid time off and premium pay calculations.

Part-time employees who are normally scheduled on the day of the holiday are usually entitled to holiday pay for their standard hours on that day. Casual or irregular workers are generally only entitled to holiday pay if the holiday falls on a day they would ordinarily have worked under their pattern of employment.

When employees are required to work on a public holiday, they are typically entitled to premium pay (for example, at least double time) and/or a paid day off in lieu, depending on the applicable law, collective agreement, or contract. Because specific entitlements can vary by sector and agreement, your company should confirm the exact rate and compensatory rest rules in the current Bahamian Employment Act and any binding industrial agreement.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to provide the correct public holiday pay or time off can expose your company to complaints, inspections, and financial liability in the Bahamas. The Department of Labour is the primary enforcement authority and can investigate complaints from employees about unpaid or underpaid holiday entitlements.

Where a breach is found, employers may be ordered to pay arrears of wages, including underpaid holiday premiums, plus potential penalties or fines as set out in the Employment Act and related regulations. Persistent or wilful non-compliance can increase the risk of higher penalties, reputational damage, and, in serious cases, prosecution.

Common mistakes include treating observed days as normal working days, failing to pay premium rates for work performed on a public holiday, and excluding part-time staff from holiday pay even when they normally work on that day. Keeping accurate time and pay records, and documenting each employee’s normal working days, is essential to demonstrate compliance if the Department of Labour reviews your practices.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In the Bahamas, public holidays interact with overtime rules by changing both the applicable rate and, in some cases, how you count hours. Hours worked on a public holiday are typically paid at a premium rate that is higher than the standard overtime rate, and this premium is usually due from the first hour worked on the holiday, not only after employees exceed their normal daily or weekly hours.

Where an employee works overtime on a public holiday, you may need to apply both the overtime and holiday premium rules, depending on the statute or agreement that covers the employee. The safest approach is to ensure that the employee receives at least the highest applicable rate for those hours, and to provide a paid day off in lieu where required by law or contract.

Because overtime thresholds and rates can differ for specific sectors or under industrial agreements, you should review the current Employment Act, any sectoral orders, and collective agreements that apply to your workforce. When in doubt, paying the more generous rate and clearly documenting your policy is the most risk-averse practice.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Bahamian public holidays, observed days, and premium pay manually can quickly become a headache, especially if you are coordinating teams across multiple countries. Playroll helps you automate compliance so your company can focus on growth instead of chasing rule changes.

With Playroll, you can:

• Automatically apply Bahamas public holidays and observed days to local calendars
• Configure holiday pay and premium rates in line with Bahamian labour law and your internal policies
• Keep contracts, payslips, and records aligned with the latest Employment Act requirements
• Reduce the risk of underpaying holiday or overtime by using rule-based payroll calculations
• Gain clear, auditable records in case the Department of Labour reviews your practices

Our in-country experts monitor legal updates in the Bahamas, so your holiday and overtime rules stay current without you having to track every amendment. Whether you are hiring your first employee in Nassau or scaling a distributed team across the Caribbean, Playroll gives you a single, compliant way to manage leave, pay, and public holidays.