December has arrived, and with several public holidays around Christmas and the New Year ahead, you’ll likely be anticipating some deserved time off from Dec. 24 to Dec. 26 inclusive, as well as Jan. 1, 2026.
What if you’re working for an international company where a Czech holiday is just another day? Or perhaps your job, in tourism, healthcare, or hospitality, requires you to be on the clock?
Whether due to the company you work for, your profession, or workload requirements, sometimes working on public holidays is simply unavoidable.
The key distinction: Employee vs. contract worker
Before diving into compensation, you must know your legal status. Czech labor law offers robust protection, but it applies mainly to employees with a formal Employment Contract (HPP).
The rules for holiday pay and compensation do not apply to those working under specific work agreements like a DPP (agreement on work performance), DPČ (agreement on working activity), or those working as OSVČ (self-employed workers), unless your contract explicitly states otherwise.
If you have an HPP, here’s everything you need to know about your rights, from who calls the shots to how much you should get paid when working on national holidays.
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Summary for: Double pay or extra days off? Your Czech holiday work rights explained
