PHILIPSBURG, Sint Maarten — This serves as a clarification to the article regarding the National Public Holiday Schedule that appeared in The Daily Herald on Friday, December 23, 2016, whereby the following was stated:
“The law mandates that for holidays that fall on a Sunday, the next day off will then be set for the Monday immediately after or the next working day.”
This gives the impression that every public holiday that falls on a Sunday, that the following day is being compensated as a day off. This is not the case.
According to legislation, the holidays to which this applies are the following:
Labour Day – Labour Day is celebrated annually on May 1. If this day falls on a Sunday it is celebrated on the next working day, which would be the Monday.
Emancipation Day – Emancipation Day is celebrated annually on July 1. If this day falls on a Sunday it is celebrated on the next working day, which would be the Monday.
The Arbeidsregeling, article 23, paragraph 3, gives the Minister of Public Health, Social Development & Labour, the authority to assign new dates for Carnival Day and St. Maarten Day.
