Malacañang has announced February 9, 2024 a special non-working day throughout the country in celebration of the beginning of New Year on the traditional lunar Chinese calendar.
On January 18, President Bongbong Marcos and Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin signed Proclamation No. 453 that officially declared the special non-working day.
The proclamation acknowledges the importance of the occasion, stating, "It will give the people the full opportunity to celebrate the Chinese New Year and enable our countrymen to avail of the benefits of a longer weekend and enable our countrymen to avail of the benefits of a longer weekend."
Proclamation No. 368, dated October 11, 2023, also declared February 10, 2024, (Chinese New Year), Saturday, a special non-working day throughout the country.
What is a special non-working day?
As stated by the Department of Labor and Employment, these are the following pay rules on special non-working day:
- If the employee did not work, the "no work, no pay" principle shall apply, unless there is a company policy, practice, or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) granting payment on a special day.
- For work done during the special day, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her basic wage on the first eight hours of work [(basic wage x 130%) + COLA].
- For work done more than eight hours (overtime work), he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her hourly rate on the said day [hourly rate of the basic wage x 130% x 130% x number of hours worked].
- If an employee works on a special day that also falls on his/her rest day, he/she shall be paid an additional 50 percent of his/her basic wage on the first eight hours of work [(basic wage x 150%) + COLA].
- For overtime work on a special day that also falls on his/her rest day, he/she shall be paid an additional 30 percent of his/her hourly rate on the said day [Hourly rate of the basic wage x 150% x 130% x number of hours worked].