Days off work in April - Easter and public holidays

April is the month when spring comes into full bloom, and the first long-awaited spring holidays appear on the calendar. For employees, it's a good time to plan a longer rest around Easter and prepare for the upcoming May holiday season. What are days off work in April like? Which holidays fall this month and how to optimally plan vacation? Check the most important information about work time organization in April.

Days off work in April – what holidays fall this month?

Easter – when does it fall and which days are statutory days off work?

How to plan a longer vacation in April?

April in Labour Code – working hours and settlement rules

Shops, offices and services during the Easter period – what you should know?

Summary

FAQ – days off work in April

Days off work in April – what holidays fall this month?

In April, the most important point on the holiday calendar is Easter. It is a moveable holiday, so its exact date changes every year. Depending on the calendar layout, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday can fall on different days in April.

According to the regulations regarding days off work, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are statutory days off work. For people employed under an employment contract, a holiday falling on a working day also affects the working hours in a given accounting period.

Key information about time off in April:

✔️ Easter Sunday – is a statutory day off work.
✔️ Easter Monday – is a statutory day off work.
✔️ A holiday falling on a day other than Sunday reduces working hours in the relevant accounting period.
✔️ The exact dates of Easter should be checked for the specific year, as it is a moveable holiday.

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Easter – when does it fall and which days are statutory days off work?

Easter is a moveable holiday, so its date changes from year to year. Easter holidays, however, always fall on a Sunday and Monday, and both these days have special status in the calendar of days off work.

Good Friday

Good Friday in Poland is not a statutory day off work. As a general rule, it is a working day. However, individual employers may decide to shorten working time, grant a day off, or apply other solutions provided for in the work regulations.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday is not a statutory day off work. For people working Monday to Friday, it may be a day off resulting from the organization of the work week. It's also worth remembering the special rules regarding trade on Holy Saturday.

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is a statutory day off work. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, it does not reduce working hours in the way proper for a holiday falling on a day from Monday to Saturday.

Easter Monday

The second day of Easter is a statutory day off work. Since it falls on a Monday, for people working Monday to Friday it can create an extended weekend.

How to plan a longer vacation in April?

April can be a good month to plan a longer rest. However, the best opportunities depend on the specific year, because the date of Easter changes, and holidays can fall on different days of the week.

1. Long Easter weekend

Since Easter Monday is a statutory day off work, you can combine it with the weekend and use annual leave in the days before or after the holidays. The exact number of days off that can be achieved using a certain number of vacation days depends on the calendar layout in a given year.

2. Combining April with May holiday season

A good way to extend spring rest could also be combining vacation at the end of April with days off falling in early May. It's worth checking the calendar for the specific year and submitting a vacation request early enough.

April in Labour Code – working hours and settlement rules

Working hours in April are not fixed and depend on the calendar layout in the specific year. Its amount is influenced, among other things, by the number of working days and holidays falling on days other than Sunday.

The following rules result from the Labour Code provisions and apply regardless of the specific year:

Calendar layout	Legal rules	What does this mean for an employee?
Holiday on a working day	Statutory day off work Reduces working hours in the relevant accounting period Does not require using a day of annual leave	A holiday falling on a working day can reduce the number of hours that an employee must work in a given accounting period.
Holiday on Sunday	A holiday falling on Sunday does not reduce working hours Does not create an obligation to designate an additional day off for this reason	If a holiday falls on Sunday, the employee generally does not receive an additional day off for the mere occurrence of the holiday on that day.
Work on holidays	Work on holidays is only permitted in cases specified by regulations Depending on the situation, the employee is entitled to appropriate time off or compensation provided for in the regulations	People working on holidays, for example in sectors where work is permitted on holidays, are subject to special rules for settling working time.

Shops, offices and services during the Easter period – what you should know?

⚠️ What is closed or restricted during Easter?

❌ Large shops, hypermarkets and shopping centres – trading restrictions apply on holidays.
❌ Public administration offices, schools and many institutions – generally do not operate on holidays.
❌ Banks and some financial services – there may be restrictions on transfers and customer service on holidays.
❌ Trade on Holy Saturday – special restrictions apply to trading hours.

✓ What can operate on holidays and holiday periods?

Petrol stations – can operate even on days subject to trading restrictions.
Small shops – in certain cases can be open if the owner operates them personally.
Restaurants, cafes and recreational points – their operation depends on individual owners' decisions.
Selected services – some facilities may operate under rules specified in regulations on exceptions to restrictions.

Summary

In April, the most important event from the perspective of days off work is Easter. Its date is moveable, so the exact dates and opportunities for planning a longer rest should be checked each time in the calendar for the specific year.

Key points to remember:

✅ Easter Sunday and Easter Monday are statutory days off work.
❌ Good Friday is not a statutory day off work in Poland.
✅ A holiday falling on a working day affects working hours in a given accounting period.
✅ Combining Easter holidays with vacation can help achieve a longer rest period.
ℹ️ The exact number of days off and working hours in April depend on the specific year.

Well-planned vacation in April allows you to better use days off related to Easter and combine them with weekends or vacation falling in the May holiday season.

FAQ – days off work in April

1. When does Easter fall?

Easter is a moveable holiday. Easter Sunday and Easter Monday fall on different dates each year, so you should check the exact date in the calendar for the specific year.

2. Is Good Friday a day off work?

No, Good Friday is not a statutory day off work in Poland. However, an employer may introduce additional organizational solutions, such as shorter working hours.

3. Does Easter Sunday entitle an employee to an extra day off?

No. A holiday falling on Sunday does not create an obligation to designate an additional day off for the mere occurrence of the holiday on Sunday.

4. What are working hours in April?

Working hours in April depend on the specific year and calendar layout. They are influenced by, among other things, the number of working days and holidays falling on days other than Sunday.

5. What time do shops close on Holy Saturday?

Special restrictions apply to trading on Holy Saturday. According to the regulations in force, trading in retail outlets is generally permitted only until a specific time, taking into account exceptions provided for in the law.

6. Is Easter Monday paid?

Yes. For employees employed under an employment contract, a statutory day off work does not require using annual leave. Compensation rules depend on the compensation system and applicable labour law regulations.

7. How to make a long weekend in April?

It's best to check which days of the week the Easter holidays fall on in a given year, and then combine the statutory days off with the weekend and annual leave. This allows you to extend the rest period while using fewer vacation days.

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