Republic Day will give Kazakhstanis three consecutive days off, but shift workers will still have to work on the holiday. We examine the Labor Code to see how holiday work should be paid, reports infohub.kz.
Under Articles 85 and 109 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, for work on weekends and holidays, an employee is granted, at their request, another day of rest or increased pay of at least 1.5 times the daily or hourly rate.
At the same time, it is prohibited to involve pregnant women who have provided a medical certificate to the employer, as well as minors and persons with disabilities, in work on weekends and holidays.
In addition, to involve employees with shift schedules or rotational work in work on holidays and weekends, written consent is not required if these days initially fall on their work shift according to the approved schedule. However, for employees with a regular five-day or six-day workweek, written consent is mandatory.
Nevertheless, an employer has the right to involve any employee in work on weekends and holidays without their consent in the following force majeure cases: to prevent an emergency, natural disaster, or industrial accident, or to immediately eliminate their consequences; to prevent and investigate work-related accidents, death, or damage to property; to perform urgent, unforeseen work on which the normal operation of the organization as a whole or its individual divisions subsequently depends.
How Kazakhstanis will rest on Republic Day. With a five-day workweek: three consecutive days off — October 24, 25, and 26 (Saturday, Sunday, and Monday). With a six-day workweek: two consecutive days off — October 24 and 25 (Saturday and Sunday). In total, in the second month of autumn, with a five-day week there will be 10 days off, and with a six-day week only six.
Earlier, Kursiv wrote that last year Republic Day also extended Kazakhstanis' days off. In 2024, the holiday fell on a Friday, giving citizens a three-day weekend, and in 2023 it fell on a Wednesday, providing a one-time break in the middle of the workweek.