In 2026, 15 August falls on a Saturday. If you work Monday to Friday, you do not automatically receive another day off. If Saturday is normally a working day for you, 15 August remains a statutory public holiday, and your employer may require you to work only when the activity falls within an exception in the Labour Code.
For work that may legally continue on a public holiday, the general rule is equivalent time off within the next 30 days. A bonus of at least 100% is due only when the employer cannot grant that time off for justified reasons. A special 2026 rule applies to some public-sector staff, as explained below.
If you do not normally work on Saturdays
The Labour Code lists the Dormition of the Mother of God as a statutory public holiday on which employees do not work. The law does not move the holiday to the next working day when it falls on Saturday or Sunday.
For an employee who works Monday to Friday, Saturday 15 August is already outside the normal schedule. You therefore receive neither Monday off nor a bonus, because you did not work on the public holiday.
| Situation on 15 August | Applicable rule |
|---|---|
| You work Monday to Friday and do not work on Saturday | No automatic day off on another date |
| Saturday is a working day and the activity can stop | The employer must observe the statutory day off |
| You legally work in an activity that cannot stop | Private sector: time off within 30 days or, if impossible for justified reasons, a bonus of at least 100%; public-sector staff covered by the special rule: time off within 90 days |
Which activities may continue on 15 August
The Labour Code provides special schedules for healthcare and food-service establishments. Workplaces where activity cannot be interrupted because of the production process or nature of the activity are also exempt.
The exception depends on the actual activity and the rules applicable to the workplace, not the employer's preference to keep the normal schedule. A regular Saturday schedule is not, by itself, a legal exception. However, Romania's High Court ruled that retail sales of non-food goods in shopping centres may continue on public holidays, provided the employer grants the compensation required by Article 142. If you are asked to work, you may request the legal basis and ask how the hours will be recorded and compensated.
Time off within 30 days or a bonus of at least 100%
Article 142 of the Labour Code sets this order for employees who legally work on 15 August:
- The employer grants equivalent time off within the next 30 days.
- If time off cannot be granted for justified reasons, the employee receives a bonus of at least 100% of the base salary corresponding to hours worked during the normal schedule.
The Labour Inspectorate confirms the same compensation in its REGES-ONLINE answers. The employer cannot choose the bonus from the outset merely because it is more convenient. Time off comes first; the bonus is paid only when justified reasons make that impossible.
A 100% bonus does not double the whole monthly salary. It doubles the base pay for hours worked on the holiday: ordinary pay for those hours remains in the salary, and the bonus adds at least an equal amount.
For example, with base pay equivalent to 30 lei per hour, eight hours worked on 15 August are normally paid at 240 lei. If the employer cannot grant time off for justified reasons, the minimum bonus adds another 240 lei gross. The individual or collective employment agreement or employer policy may provide a higher percentage.
If your base salary is the general minimum, the article on the minimum salary from 1 July 2026 also explains the gross hourly rate of 25.949 lei.
The special public-sector rule for 2026
For public-sector staff covered by Article XVIII of Law no. 141/2025, work performed during the normal shift in 2026 on weekly rest days and public holidays is compensated only with equivalent time off within the next 90 days.
This annual rule differs from the 30-day period and bonus mechanism in the Labour Code. The law separately provides exceptions for certain work carried out by military personnel, police officers and prison officers. If you work in a public institution, check the classification of your role and the special rule that applies. A 100% bonus does not automatically become due after 30 days.
The public holiday does not replace weekly rest
If you work on 15 August, the employer must record public-holiday hours, any overtime and weekly rest. Compensation for 15 August does not replace the 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest.
The work schedule and time records must allow both rights to be checked: compensation for work on a public holiday and weekly rest. The employer cannot use compensation for 15 August to reduce weekly rest below the statutory duration.
What to check on your timesheet and payslip
If you work on 15 August, keep your work schedule and check the timesheet after the month closes. Ask in writing when you will receive time off or why it cannot be granted.
On your payslip, check the number of hours worked on the holiday and the base used for the bonus if it became payable. In the public sector, check the 90-day period and the special rule for your role. If the records do not match the hours actually worked, you may request a correction and, if necessary, notify the territorial labour inspectorate.
Under Article 260(1)(g) of the Labour Code, an employer that breaches the rules on public holidays and compensation risks a fine of 5,000 to 10,000 lei.
The next public holidays in 2026
After 15 August, the next public holidays are 30 November, Saint Andrew's Day, and 1 December, Romania's National Day. In 2026 they fall on Monday and Tuesday. Employees who work Monday to Friday will have four consecutive days off, from Saturday 28 November through Tuesday 1 December, without using annual leave.
Christmas Day then falls on Friday, 25 December. The second day of Christmas falls on Saturday and is not moved to another day for a normal Monday-to-Friday schedule.
Sources and verification date
We checked the information on 5 August 2026 against the consolidated Labour Code, Law no. 141/2025, High Court Decision no. 22/2015 and the official REGES-ONLINE frequently asked questions. Collective agreements, professional statutes and the employee's actual schedule may add rights or special rules.