Summer is just around the corner, bringing with it a succession of public holidays… It is a perfect opportunity to enjoy a few extra days of rest, but also to review your employment rights.

Here is a quick overview of the summer 2026 public holidays and their specific regulations on both sides of the border.

France

Summer public holidays:

  • Tuesday, July 14, 2026: National Day (Bastille Day)
  • Saturday, August 15, 2026: Assumption Day

Can you recoup a public holiday that falls on a non-working day? No. In France, public holidays cannot be recovered or pushed to another day if they coincide with a day you do not usually work. Therefore, if you do not work on Saturdays, August 15, 2026, is effectively “lost”—meaning no substitute day off and no financial compensation (unless more favorable collective bargaining agreements apply).

What if your employer asks you to work on a public holiday? This is legally allowed. You will receive your regular pay, without any legal overtime premium, unless your collective agreement states otherwise. In France, only May 1 (Labor Day) follows a special statutory rule (it is a paid day off, or double pay if worked).

Luxembourg

Summer public holiday:

  • Saturday, August 15, 2026: Assumption Day—the Grand Duchy’s only statutory summer public holiday.

Can you recoup a public holiday that falls on a non-working day? Yes, and this is one of the major differences compared to French labor law: in Luxembourg, a public holiday is never lost. When it falls on a day you do not usually work, employees are entitled to a compensatory day off, which must be taken within 3 months following the holiday.

In practical terms: If Saturdays are not working days under your contract, August 15, 2026, entitles you to a compensatory day off to be taken before November 15, 2026.

What if your employer asks you to work on a public holiday? This is allowed, but you will be entitled to a salary premium. Specifically, a public holiday that is worked is paid as follows:

  • The regular daily wage for the public holiday itself (which is due even if you rest),
  • Plus pay for the actual hours worked,
  • Plus a 100% premium on those same hours.
  • -> This totals 300% of your regular daily wage.

Belgium

Summer public holidays:

  • Tuesday, July 21, 2026: Belgian National Day
  • Saturday, August 15, 2026: Assumption Day

Can you recoup a public holiday that falls on a non-working day? Yes. Just like in Luxembourg, Belgian law protects public holidays: if one falls on a day you do not usually work (such as Saturday, August 15), you are entitled to a replacement day off, scheduled on one of your usual working days.

What about working on a public holiday? Working on public holidays is generally prohibited. However, if Sunday work is allowed in your company, holiday work is permitted as well. If the Sunday rest exemption is general, holiday work is allowed without restrictions; if it is partial or limited to certain Sundays, a Royal Decree sets the limits to match the Sunday rules.

An employee who works on a public holiday is entitled to compensatory rest, to be taken within 6 weeks following the holiday, unless contrary provisions apply to the worker based on their business sector. A salary premium is only mandatory if it is stipulated in a collective bargaining agreement, a company agreement, or your employment contract (which is very common in practice).

Germany

In Germany, public holidays fall under the jurisdiction of each individual State (Land). During the summer, only August 15 (Assumption Day / Mariä Himmelfahrt) is relevant, and only in certain states:

  • It is a public holiday in Saarland as well as in Bavaria (but only in municipalities with a Catholic majority).
  • It is not a public holiday in Rhineland-Palatinate (Rheinland-Pfalz) or Baden-Württemberg.

Can you recoup a public holiday that falls on a non-working day? No. Much like France, Germany does not provide replacement days. Since August 15, 2026, falls on a Saturday, if you do not usually work that day, the holiday is “lost” without any compensatory time off.

What if your employer asks you to work? This is possible in certain cases, particularly in sectors like hospitality or healthcare. If so, you will be entitled to an alternative day off (Ersatzruhetag), which must be granted within an 8-week period. Unlike Luxembourg, German statutory law does not mandate a salary premium for working on a public holiday. A premium is only due if it is explicitly provided for in a collective agreement, a company agreement, or your employment contract (which is common in practice).