What Are The Public Holidays in Eswatini in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Eswatini (2026)

Eswatini (Eswatini) recognises a set of national public holidays each year that apply across the country. Use the table below to plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your Eswatini-based team in 2026.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Eswatini labour practice generally treats public holidays as paid days off for employees who would normally be scheduled to work on those days. In other words, if a public holiday falls on a day that is part of an employee’s regular work week, you should pay them their normal daily wage even if they do not work.

Where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, it is commonly observed on the following Monday, and employees are typically entitled to the public holiday benefit on the observed day. Because detailed statutory rules and sectoral agreements can differ, you should always check the specific employment contract, any applicable collective agreement, and the latest national legislation before finalising your policy.

For part-time employees, the usual approach is that they are entitled to paid public holidays only if the holiday falls on a day they would ordinarily work. If a part-time employee does not normally work on that day of the week, there is usually no entitlement to paid leave, unless your company policy or contract is more generous.

When employees are required to work on a public holiday, best practice in Eswatini is to provide both: paid time off equivalent to the holiday or an additional day’s wage, and in many cases a premium rate for the hours worked on the holiday itself. The exact entitlement should be clearly set out in your contracts and internal policies so that employees understand how holiday work is compensated.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

If your company fails to honour public holiday entitlements, you risk disputes, back-pay claims, and potential sanctions under Eswatini’s labour laws. Employees can raise complaints with the national labour authorities or labour inspectors, who may investigate non-compliance and order corrective action, including payment of outstanding wages and benefits.

Courts or labour tribunals can require employers to compensate employees for unpaid public holiday wages, and in some cases may award additional amounts such as interest or penalties. Persistent or deliberate non-compliance can also damage your company’s reputation and increase the likelihood of broader audits of your employment practices.

Common employer mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, failing to recognise the observed Monday when a holiday falls on a Sunday, not applying the correct rate when employees work on a holiday, and inconsistent treatment of part-time or shift workers. To reduce risk, document your holiday policy, communicate it clearly, and ensure payroll calculations match what your contracts promise.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

Public holidays can affect overtime in Eswatini because hours worked on a holiday are often treated differently from ordinary working days. While specific statutory overtime multipliers may vary by sector or agreement, it is common for work on a public holiday to attract a premium rate above the normal hourly wage, sometimes in addition to a separate public holiday benefit.

In practice, you should first determine whether the public holiday is a paid non-working day for the employee. If the employee works, those hours may count as both: hours worked on a public holiday that attract a premium rate, and hours that count toward weekly overtime thresholds. Where a collective agreement or company policy sets a weekly maximum of ordinary hours, any time beyond that limit, including on a holiday, may need to be paid at an overtime rate.

Because overtime rules can be technical and may change, the safest approach is to align your policy with the most protective standard you can identify in current law, sectoral rules, and contracts. Clearly state in your employment agreements how you calculate overtime on public holidays, what premium applies, and whether employees receive an additional day off in lieu.

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