Good Friday in Jersey

Jersey’s holiday status

Jersey’s Public Holidays and Bank Holidays Act 2010 distinguishes between days designated as public holidays and days observed as general holidays by custom. It specifies Good Friday as a general holiday by custom and Easter Monday as a public holiday. The Act gives no substitute day for Good Friday.[1]

For employees, Jersey’s Employment Law provides an entitlement to leave on Good Friday and specified public or bank holidays. If an employee is required to work on those days, the law provides for substitute leave under the stated conditions. This does not mean every workplace closes or every employee is automatically off work.[2]

Religious meaning

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter. It is observed by Christians as the anniversary of Jesus’ crucifixion; the name and observance are part of a wider Christian calendar, rather than a Jersey-specific religious tradition.[5]

Jersey’s holiday legislation records the day’s customary status but does not set out island-wide religious ceremonies or customs. Claims about particular services, processions, fasting practices or traditional foods therefore need to be checked with the relevant church or event organizer.[1]

Shops, banks and practical arrangements

Shops in Jersey generally cannot open on Good Friday unless they qualify for an exemption or have the required permit. Shops with a retail sales area of 700 square metres or less may obtain a general permit; larger shops may obtain a restricted-hours permit for opening between 10am and 4pm. Some retail businesses may be exempt, so opening hours can vary by shop.[3]

Jersey law requires banks to close on bank holidays, subject to exceptions made by ministerial order. The law also defines Good Friday as a day that is not a business day and sets out how certain payments and financial instruments due on a bank holiday are handled on the following business day.[4]

The Government’s bank-holiday calendar places Good Friday within the Easter holiday period, alongside Easter Monday. Check directly with shops, employers and service providers for their arrangements; check opening hours with government offices, schools, bus and ferry operators, and the airport before you go.[1][3][4]