English
Cambodia: Business prepares for ‘replacement holiday’
Cambodian business owners have been given approximately one month notice to prepare for five days of public holidays scheduled from Aug 17 to 21, according to a government sub-decree seen by Khmer Times over the weekend.
The new holidays are in lieu of the traditional Khmer New Year break held in April that was cancelled this year over COVID-19 concerns.
The unconfirmed dates come after complaints from managers on the need for at least one month’s notice to rearrange employees’ shifts after leaked audio of Prime Minister Hun Sen caused rumours the holidays would fall on either the last week of July or first week of August.
However, businesses will have to factor in an additional day of public holidays for their workers after last year the government decided to reduce the number of public holidays from 28 days in 2019 to 22 days this year.
The sub-decree issued by Mr Hun Sen said at the time said the reduction in public holidays was to encourage more economic development.
Ek Tha, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, at the time said Mr Hun Sen made the right move in cutting down the number of public holidays.
“It is because the government wants the Kingdom to be competitive and attract national and international investments,” Tha said. “It’s so they [citizens] can contribute to the building and development of Cambodia in order for it to be more prosperous.”
According to Article 161 and 164 of the 1997 labour law on official public holidays, employers must either give their staff a paid day’s leave or they are entitled to receive additional payment, typically double rate.
“Workers paid by the hour, the day or by the amount produced shall be entitled to an indemnity equal to the wage lost as a result of holidays as defined in Article 161. This indemnity shall be paid by the employer,” the law states. “In establishments or enterprises where work cannot be interrupted because of the nature of their activities requiring the workers to work during holidays; those workers shall be entitled to an indemnity in addition to wages for the work performed.
The amount of this indemnity to be paid by the employer shall be set by a prakas [directive] of the Ministry in Charge of Labour,” it adds.
Source: https://www.khmertimeskh.com/50744115/business-prepares-for-replacement-holiday/