What Are The Public Holidays in Latvia in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Latvia (2026)

Latvia sets public holidays at national level, so the same dates apply across the country. Use this 2026 holiday list to plan staffing, leave approvals, and payroll well in advance.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Latvian labour law generally requires employers to provide paid leave on public holidays for employees who would normally work on those days. Public holidays are treated as paid rest days, and employees retain their average earnings for the day off. There are no regional differences in Latvia – the same national holiday rules apply everywhere.

If a public holiday falls on a day when an employee is not scheduled to work (for example, a regular weekend day for that employee), there is usually no additional paid day off, unless a collective agreement or internal policy grants more generous treatment. Part-time employees are entitled to paid public holidays on the same basis as full-time staff, but calculated pro rata according to their normal working schedule.

When employees must work on a public holiday, Latvian law requires premium compensation. The safest and most common approach is to pay at least double the regular hourly rate for hours worked on a public holiday or to provide equivalent paid time off in lieu, as set out in the Labour Law and any applicable collective agreements. Many employers choose to combine premium pay with an additional rest day to stay competitive and avoid disputes.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to respect public holiday rules in Latvia can lead to administrative liability. The State Labour Inspectorate is the main enforcement authority and may carry out inspections, review working time records, and investigate employee complaints about unpaid or improperly scheduled holiday work.

Where violations are found, employers can face fines that scale with the severity and duration of the breach, as well as orders to correct practices and pay any outstanding wages, premiums, or compensation. Repeated or intentional non-compliance can result in higher penalties and closer monitoring by the authorities.

Common mistakes include treating public holidays as normal working days without premium pay, miscalculating average earnings for paid holidays, failing to record hours worked on holidays accurately, or applying different rules to part-time or fixed-term staff. To reduce risk, your company should keep clear written policies, align them with Latvian labour law and any collective agreements, and maintain accurate timekeeping and payroll records for all employees.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Latvia, public holidays interact with working time and overtime rules in several ways. Hours worked on a public holiday are typically treated as both overtime and holiday work, which means they must be compensated at a higher rate than ordinary hours. The safest practice is to apply at least double pay for work on a public holiday and to ensure that total weekly working time, including holiday hours, does not exceed statutory limits.

When calculating overtime thresholds, you should count all hours actually worked, even if they fall on a public holiday. If an employee’s hours exceed their normal daily or weekly schedule because they worked on a public holiday, those additional hours may qualify as overtime in addition to attracting holiday premiums. Collective agreements or company policies can provide even more favourable terms, such as higher multipliers or guaranteed compensatory rest days.

Because interpretations can vary and rules may be updated, it is prudent to confirm the current overtime and holiday pay requirements with a Latvian employment law specialist or your local payroll provider before finalising your policies.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Latvian public holidays across a distributed team can get complicated fast – especially when you are juggling different time zones, work patterns, and local legal requirements. Playroll helps you handle all of this in one place so you can stay compliant without slowing down your business.

With Playroll, you can rely on up-to-date Latvian public holiday calendars, automated application of paid holiday rules, and accurate calculation of premiums when employees work on public holidays. Our platform keeps track of changing regulations, so your contracts, payslips, and time-off records stay aligned with Latvian labour law.

Whether you are hiring your first employee in Riga or scaling a larger team across the Baltics, Playroll can act as your local compliance co-pilot. We handle employment contracts, statutory leave, and payroll calculations, while you focus on building a great employee experience.

If you want to remove the guesswork from Latvian public holiday compliance – from paid leave entitlements to overtime and premium pay – Playroll gives you the tools, local expertise, and audit-ready records you need to stay confident and compliant all year round.