What Are The Public Holidays in Luxembourg in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Luxembourg (2026)

Luxembourg has 11 statutory public holidays that apply nationwide. Use the table below to plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your Luxembourg-based employees in 2026.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Luxembourg labour law generally requires employers to provide paid leave on statutory public holidays when they fall on an employee's normal working day. Employees are entitled to their usual pay for the day, as if they had worked, and this applies to full-time and part-time staff on a pro-rated basis according to their regular schedule.

If a public holiday falls on a Sunday or on a day when the employee does not normally work, Luxembourg law typically grants a compensatory day off, which should be taken within a set reference period in agreement with the employee. For part-time employees, entitlement is calculated based on whether the holiday coincides with a day they would normally work.

When employees are required to work on a public holiday, they are usually entitled to both their normal pay for the hours worked and additional compensation. This often includes a premium rate for hours worked on the holiday plus a compensatory day off, although the exact structure can depend on collective agreements or sectoral rules. You should always check the applicable collective bargaining agreement for your sector, as it may provide more generous terms than the statutory minimum.

Luxembourg does not have regional public holidays that differ by province or municipality for private-sector employees, so your company can apply the same national holiday calendar to all staff in the country. However, some sectors and financial institutions may treat Good Friday as a de facto holiday by agreement or practice, even though it is not one of the core statutory public holidays.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

If your company fails to respect public holiday rights in Luxembourg, you risk administrative and financial consequences. The Labour Inspectorate (Inspection du Travail et des Mines, ITM) is responsible for monitoring compliance with working time and holiday rules, and it can investigate complaints from employees or trade unions.

Non-compliance can lead to fines per affected employee and per infringement, which can escalate if violations are repeated or intentional. In addition to fines, employers may be ordered to pay back wages, including unpaid holiday pay, premium rates for work performed on holidays, and any compensatory rest days that were not granted. In serious or repeated cases, the authorities may also pursue criminal sanctions against responsible company representatives under Luxembourg labour law.

Common mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, failing to grant a compensatory day off when a holiday falls on a Sunday, miscalculating entitlements for part-time staff, and ignoring more favourable provisions in collective agreements. To reduce risk, you should document your holiday policy, keep accurate time and attendance records, and ensure payroll systems correctly apply holiday pay rules.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

Public holidays in Luxembourg interact closely with working time and overtime rules. In principle, work performed on a statutory public holiday is treated as exceptional and is subject to stricter conditions and higher compensation than ordinary working days. Employees who work on a public holiday are typically entitled to their normal hourly wage for the hours worked plus a premium, and they should also receive a compensatory day off.

Hours worked on a public holiday can count toward weekly working time limits and may trigger overtime if they cause the employee to exceed the standard legal working time. Overtime in Luxembourg is generally subject to premium pay or compensatory rest, and collective agreements often specify higher rates or additional benefits for holiday work compared with standard overtime. Night work or Sunday work on a public holiday can also attract additional premiums, depending on the sector.

Because the exact calculation can vary by collective agreement and role, you should review the applicable sectoral agreement and ensure your timekeeping system clearly distinguishes between normal hours, overtime, Sunday work, night work, and public holiday work. When in doubt, applying the more favourable interpretation for the employee is usually the safest approach from a compliance and employee-relations perspective.

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