What Are The Public Holidays in Sri Lanka in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Sri Lanka (2026)

Sri Lanka recognises a relatively high number of public holidays each year, including full-moon Poya days and major religious and national observances. Use this table as a planning guide for your Sri Lanka-based team in 2026.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, under Sri Lankan labour law, employees who normally work on the day a public holiday falls are generally entitled to a paid holiday if they are covered by the Shops and Offices Employees Act or relevant Wages Boards. Where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, it is typically observed on that calendar day rather than moved, and employees who do not usually work Sundays are not automatically entitled to an extra weekday off unless their contract or a collective agreement says otherwise.

Part-time employees are usually entitled to paid public holidays on a pro‑rata basis when the holiday falls on a day they would ordinarily work. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, Sri Lankan law typically requires premium compensation, often a higher daily wage plus an alternative paid day off, although the exact formula can vary by sector and governing Wages Board decision, so you should always check the specific rules that apply to your type of establishment.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to grant or correctly pay public holidays can expose your company to claims, back‑pay orders, and fines. The primary enforcement authority is the Department of Labour, which can investigate complaints, inspect records, and direct employers to rectify underpayments for public holidays and related overtime. Courts may order employers to pay arrears of wages, surcharges, and, in some cases, additional penalties for repeated or wilful non‑compliance.

Common mistakes include treating Poya days as optional, misclassifying full‑time staff as casuals to avoid holiday pay, and not applying the correct premium when staff work on a public holiday. To reduce risk, keep detailed attendance and payroll records, document consent to work on holidays, and ensure your local HR or payroll provider is applying the correct statutory and Wages Board rules.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Sri Lanka, public holidays sit outside the normal weekly working‑time pattern, so hours worked on these days are usually paid at a premium rate rather than simply counting toward standard overtime thresholds. For many categories of employees, work on a public holiday attracts a higher daily wage plus an additional day off or extra hours of pay, on top of any standard overtime that might be due if weekly limits are exceeded.

Because the exact multipliers and thresholds can differ between sectors and are often set by Wages Boards, you should confirm the applicable rules for your industry and location, and configure your payroll system so that public‑holiday hours are coded separately from regular and weekly overtime hours. When in doubt, paying the higher of the statutory or contractual entitlement is generally the safest approach.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Sri Lanka'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.