What Are The Public Holidays in Kosovo in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Kosovo (2026)

Here is an overview of the main nationwide public holidays in Kosovo in 2026 to help you plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your team.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, Kosovo labour law generally requires employers to treat official public holidays as paid days off for employees, unless the employee is required to work due to the nature of the activity or specific business needs. Employees who do not work on a public holiday are typically entitled to their regular daily pay as if they had worked. Where a holiday falls on a weekend, it is common practice for the next working day to be treated as the observed holiday, especially in the public sector, and many private employers follow the same approach, though you should confirm this in your internal policies or collective agreements.

If employees must work on a public holiday, they are usually entitled to both their regular pay for the hours worked and an additional premium or compensatory time off, as defined by the Labour Law, collective agreement, or employment contract. Part-time employees are generally entitled to paid public holidays on a pro rata basis, aligned with their normal working schedule. Because interpretations and implementation can vary, especially between public and private sectors, you should document your holiday policy clearly and ensure it is consistent with Kosovo law and any applicable collective agreements.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to respect public holiday entitlements in Kosovo can expose your company to labour inspections, administrative fines, and orders to remedy underpayment. The Labour Inspectorate is the main enforcement authority and can investigate complaints from employees or act on its own initiative. If an employer does not pay employees correctly for public holidays, or requires work on a holiday without providing the required premium or compensatory rest, the Inspectorate may order back payment of wages and impose monetary penalties that increase with the seriousness and duration of the violation.

Common mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, not applying premium pay when employees work on holidays, and failing to recognise observed days when holidays fall on weekends. Another frequent issue is inconsistent treatment between employees in similar roles, which can lead to discrimination claims. To reduce risk, keep accurate records of working hours and holiday pay, align your internal policies with Kosovo labour law, and ensure managers understand when they can schedule work on public holidays and what compensation is due.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Kosovo, public holidays interact with overtime rules mainly through premium pay and limits on working hours. Hours worked on a public holiday are typically treated as work performed under special conditions and should be compensated at a higher rate than ordinary hours, often in combination with standard overtime premiums if the employee exceeds normal daily or weekly limits. The exact percentage uplift is usually set by the Labour Law, collective agreements, or individual contracts, so you should check the instruments that apply to your workforce.

When calculating overtime thresholds, you generally count all hours actually worked, including those on public holidays. If an employee works on a holiday and this pushes them over the standard weekly limit, those excess hours are both holiday work and overtime, and should be paid accordingly. Some employers instead offer compensatory time off in lieu of part or all of the cash premium, but this should be clearly agreed with the employee and allowed by applicable law or collective agreements. To stay compliant, configure your timekeeping and payroll systems so they can distinguish between regular hours, overtime, and public holiday hours, and apply the correct multipliers automatically.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Kosovo's public holidays and leave rules doesn’t have to be complex. Playroll keeps you 100% compliant by automatically tracking local holidays, observed days, and pay requirements –  so your team is paid correctly and on time, every time.

Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling a growing team, Playroll lets you employ talent without setting up a local entity. We handle compliant contracts, benefits, and payroll in one platform, so you can reduce compliance risk and focus on growing your business while we take care of the heavy-lifting in the background. Book a chat with our team to get started.