Public Holiday Calendar Guide for the Caribbean Netherlands
The Caribbean Netherlands consists of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba. The Employment Act 2000 BES sets shared public holidays and island-specific observances for employment purposes. Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland also publishes holiday information and guidance for employees and employers.[1][2]
How the Holiday System Works
The law lists New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the official celebration of the King’s birthday, and Labour Day. It also includes a Carnival-related holiday for Sint Eustatius and Saba and local observances for each island.[1]
Labour Day is observed on May 1 unless it falls on a Sunday or the King’s birthday is officially celebrated that day; in either case, it is observed on the next working day.[1]
Island-Specific Holidays
Bonaire’s statutory holidays include Dia di Rincon and Bonaire Day. Sint Eustatius has Statia Day, and Saba has Saba Day. The law also recognizes the day after the separately held Carnival procession in Sint Eustatius and Saba.[1]
An island executive council may set another date for the Carnival-related holiday or the island day named in the law. Check the applicable official calendar for the observance date and confirm local arrangements before making time-sensitive plans.[1][2]
Pay and Working on a Public Holiday
Under the Employment Act, an employee retains at least the wages they would have earned during their normal working hours on a public holiday. The government’s employment guidance says this pay entitlement applies even when the business closes for the holiday.[1][2]
The employer determines whether work is performed on an official holiday. An employee who actually works according to schedule on a public holiday is entitled to at least twice the wages they would have earned for their normal working hours that day.[1][2]
Rules for Scheduled-Work Employees
The law treats public holidays as rest periods for employees performing scheduled work when they are not scheduled to work. It also requires that such an employee be exempt from work on at least five public holidays per calendar year.[1]
A Note on Emancipation Day in Sint Eustatius
Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland’s holiday page lists Emancipation Day for Sint Eustatius, while the Employment Act’s public-holiday list does not include July 1. A 2017 government order suspended the island council’s decision to proclaim July 1 as a holiday under that Act. This guide follows the statutory list when describing employment entitlements.[1][2][3]
Frequently Asked Questions about Holidays in the Caribbean Netherlands
Do Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba have the same public holidays?
They share a core group of statutory holidays, but the law also names island-specific holidays and a Carnival-related holiday for Sint Eustatius and Saba.[1]
Are employees paid if a business closes for a public holiday?
Must every business close on a public holiday?
No. RCN says the employer determines whether work is performed on an official holiday.[2]
What pay applies when an employee works on a public holiday?
An employee who actually works according to schedule on a public holiday is entitled to at least twice the wages they would have earned during their normal working hours that day.[1]
Can an island-specific public holiday be observed on another date?
Yes. An island executive council may set another date for the Carnival-related holiday or the island day named in the law.[1]
Sources
- Employment Act 2000 BES- International Labour Organization, NATLEX
- Official holidays- Rijksdienst Caribisch Nederland
- Besluit van 16 juni 2017 tot schorsing van het besluit d.d. 19 mei 2017, registratienummer 121|17 ER, van de eilandsraad van Sint Eustatius tot proclamatie van 1 juli tot feestdag- Government of the Netherlands, Staatsblad