What Are The Public Holidays in Chad in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Chad (2026)

Chad’s public holidays combine fixed national dates with Islamic holidays that depend on the lunar calendar. Islamic holiday dates below are approximate and may shift by one day based on official moon‑sighting announcements in Chad.

* Islamic holidays are based on the Hijri calendar and are confirmed by the Chadian authorities; your company should verify the official dates each year.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, in Chad public holidays are generally treated as paid non‑working days for employees, provided they are normally scheduled to work on that day. In practice, most employers give full‑time staff the day off with regular pay on nationally declared public holidays.

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday, it is commonly observed on the following Monday by government offices and many private employers, although the exact practice can depend on government announcements. Where a holiday falls on a rest day for a particular employee, some employers grant a paid day off in lieu, but this is often governed by company policy or collective agreements rather than a clearly codified statutory rule.

Part‑time employees who would normally work on the day of the holiday are typically entitled to paid time off on a pro‑rated basis, aligned with their usual working hours. If your operations require staff to work on a public holiday, it is common and prudent to provide either premium pay or a paid day off in lieu, even where not explicitly detailed in statute, to align with local practice and reduce legal and employee‑relations risk.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Chad’s Labour Code and related regulations are enforced by the labour inspectorate under the Ministry of Public Service and Labour. Failure to respect public holiday rules can lead to administrative sanctions, including orders to remedy non‑compliance, back‑pay for affected employees, and monetary fines. In more serious or repeated cases, employers may face higher fines and potential suspension of certain business permissions until issues are corrected.

Common employer mistakes include treating public holidays as ordinary working days without appropriate pay or time off, failing to adjust schedules when the government shifts the observance date, and applying inconsistent rules between local and expatriate staff. Because enforcement practice and fine levels can change, you should work with local counsel or a compliant employer‑of‑record partner to confirm current penalty ranges and ensure your policies are fully aligned with Chadian law.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

Chadian labour law sets limits on normal working hours, with overtime payable when employees work beyond those limits or outside their standard schedule. When employees work on a public holiday, that work is typically treated as exceptional and should attract premium compensation, either through a higher hourly rate, a paid day off in lieu, or both, depending on the employment contract, collective agreement, and company policy.

While specific statutory premium percentages can vary by sector and may be updated by regulation, a conservative approach for international employers is to treat public‑holiday work as at least equivalent to overtime, and often at a higher premium, to reflect local expectations. You should also track hours worked on holidays separately so they are not double‑counted or missed when calculating weekly overtime thresholds. Because interpretations can differ, especially around Islamic holidays that shift each year, it is safest to confirm applicable rates with a local adviser and document your approach clearly in contracts and internal policies.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing public holidays in Chad can be tricky, especially when you are juggling lunar‑based Islamic dates, shifting observance days, and evolving labour‑law enforcement. Playroll helps you take the guesswork out of compliance so your team in Chad is paid correctly and on time, every time.

With Playroll, you can onboard employees in Chad without setting up a local entity, while we handle employment contracts, payroll, statutory benefits, and public‑holiday pay in line with Chadian law and practice. Our local experts track government announcements on holiday dates and observance rules, update calendars automatically, and ensure that any work on public holidays is treated and paid correctly according to local requirements and your internal policies.

You get clear visibility into who is off, who is working, and what each day costs, so you can plan coverage around New Year’s Day, National Day, Eid periods, and other key dates without scrambling at the last minute. If regulations change, Playroll updates the rules in the background, helping your company stay compliant in Chad while you focus on growing your team.