New Year's Day in Uruguay

A fixed date in Uruguay's holiday law

Uruguay’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security identifies January 1 as one of the country’s paid holidays. The Ministry points to Article 18 of Law No. 12,590, which says workers receive their usual pay for the holiday and double pay if they work it. For monthly-paid workers who work that day, the Ministry explains that the additional amount is one day’s pay, calculated as one-thirtieth of the monthly salary; daily-paid workers receive double their usual daily wage.[1]

The date is also protected from the calendar shifts that apply to some other holidays. Law No. 16,805 sets rules for moving certain holidays to a Monday, but explicitly exempts January 1. The Ministry’s summary confirms that the holiday is observed on the weekday on which it falls, with no substitute day.[2][1]

What the law says about work

For workers covered by the general paid-holiday rule, January 1 is a paid day off; if work is performed, the law provides for additional pay. The Ministry’s explanation distinguishes between monthly-paid and daily-paid workers, so the amount is calculated differently depending on how a worker is paid. The rule establishes the holiday’s employment status, but it does not mean every workplace or service must close.[1]

The statutory basis dates to Law No. 12,590, passed in 1958. Later, Law No. 16,805, passed in 1996 and amended in 2001, set the rules for shifting holidays and listed January 1 among the exceptions.[1][2]

Services and travel

In Montevideo, the city government has announced suspensions of collective bus service on January 1 in its holiday transport notices, associating the date with the Day of Transport Workers. Because these notices describe particular holiday schedules, travelers should check current service information before relying on buses in the capital.[3][4]

Check opening hours with each bank, shop, supermarket or service before making plans. The national rule to rely on is the paid-holiday status and fixed date, rather than an assumption that every service closes.[1][2]

The holiday’s meaning and observance

January 1 marks the start of the civil calendar year and is recognized in Uruguay through the national holiday law. The legal sources explain the date’s status and pay treatment, but they do not document one set of current customs for the whole country. Claims about specific foods, beach gatherings, fireworks, or family routines should therefore not be treated as universal Uruguayan traditions on the basis of these sources.[1][2]