Public Holiday Off-in-Lieu in Singapore: MOM Rules Explained (2025 Guide)
Posted on 21 July 2023 in Business | Suki Bajaj
Are you an employer or HR manager in Singapore who is struggling to get a grasp on off-in-lieu policy in Singapore? Well, in this guide, we'll cover everything you need to know about public holiday off-in-lieu in Singapore, from what it is to who is entitled to it. We'll also show you how to calculate public holiday off-in-lieu for each of your employees.
By the end of this guide, you'll have a clear understanding of your off-in-lieu obligations.
Here's what you'll learn about Public Holiday Off-in-Lieu:
So, whether you're a new employer or looking for a refresher, this guide is for you!
What are you waiting for? Start reading today and learn everything you need to know about public holiday off-in-lieu in Singapore!
Keep your off-in-lieu policies compliant and up-to-date with the
latest MOM regulations.
What is Public Holiday Off-in-Lieu Singapore?
In accordance with the Employment Act, all employees under a contract of service with an employer are entitled to 11 paid public holidays in a year.
In such cases where employees are required to work on public holidays, the employer should either pay for an additional day or provide time off-in-lieu, as per mutual agreement.
💡Note: If the holiday falls on a rest day, the next working day will be a paid holiday.
If a public holiday falls on a non-working day, employees are entitled to either time off-in-lieu or one extra day of salary-in-lieu, in compliance with the updated employment law that came into effect in April 2019.
If the employees work a 5-day week and the public holiday falls on a Saturday, they should receive a day off-in-lieu or salary-in-lieu.
If the employees work a 6-day week, a public holiday that falls on a Saturday will NOT give them an extra day of on Monday the following week.
If the public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following working day, Monday, will automatically be a paid public holiday.
If a public holiday falls on the employee’s rest day, the following working day will be a paid public holiday.
Who is Entitled to Public Holiday Pay?
Employees are entitled to a gross rate of pay on a public holiday, if:
- They were NOT absent on the working day immediately before or after a holiday without consent or a reasonable excuse.
- They are on authorised leave (e.g. sick leave, annual leave, unpaid leave) on the day immediately before or after a holiday.
Time Off-in-Lieu for Employees Not Covered under Part IV of Employment Act
For employees who are NOT covered under Part IV of the Employment Act, the employer can grant time off-in-lieu of working on a public holiday. Keep in mind that the time off should consist of a mutually agreed number of hours.
However, if there’s no mutual agreement on the duration of time off-in-lieu, the employer can decide on one of the following:
- Pay an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay for one day’s work.
- For working 4 hours or less on a holiday, grant time off-in-lieu of 4 hours on a working day.
- For working more than 4 hours on a holiday, grant a full day off on a working day.
Off-in-Lieu Entitlements Under Singapore’s Employment Act (2025 MOM Guide)
The table below summarises how off-in-lieu and public holiday pay entitlements apply to different employee types under the Employment Act of Singapore, following Ministry of Manpower (MOM) regulations.
Public Holiday Entitlement Summary
| Situation | Employees Covered Under Part IV (e.g. Workmen, Junior Staff) | Employees Not Covered Under Part IV (e.g. Executives, Managers) |
|---|---|---|
| Public holiday falls on a working day | Entitled to a paid public holiday. If required to work, receive one extra day’s salary. | Entitled to a paid public holiday or time-off-in-lieu as mutually agreed with employer. |
| Public holiday falls on a rest day | The next working day automatically becomes a paid public holiday. | The next working day is treated as a paid holiday or an off-in-lieu day. |
| Public holiday falls on a non-working day (e.g. Saturday for 5-day-week employees) | Entitled to one day off-in-lieu or one extra day’s pay. | Employer may provide either time-off-in-lieu or an additional day’s salary. |
| Worked 4 hours or less on a public holiday | Entitled to at least half-day off-in-lieu or equivalent pay. | Usually granted four hours of time-off-in-lieu, subject to agreement. |
| Worked more than 4 hours on a public holiday | Entitled to one full day off-in-lieu or one additional day’s pay. | Entitled to a full day off-in-lieu or an extra day’s salary. |
| Absent without valid reason before or after a public holiday | Not entitled to holiday pay if absent without consent or reasonable excuse. | Entitlement depends on internal HR policies and approval. |
💡Tip: Employers can easily manage and automate these off-in-lieu calculations using QuickHR’s Leave Management System — ensuring real-time compliance with MOM’s 2025 public holiday rules while reducing manual errors.
Streamline Public Holiday Off-in-Lieu Requests with QuickHR Leave Management System!
With QuickHR’s all-inclusive Leave Management System, you can easily manage your employees’ off-in-lieu requests in real-time with a paperless and fuss-free process!
QuickHR’s leave management system is interconnected with multiple HR modules such as payroll, attendance and timesheets, expense claims, and performance evaluation, helping you build solid HR strategy with automated, simplified, and accurate HR processes.
- Easy application and tracking of off-in-lieu requests’ status
- Real-time notifications of off-in-lieu requests
- Multi-tiered approval system to reflect your company policies
- Approve off-in-lieu requests while on-the-go via Mobile App
- Delivers complete annual or monthly review of your employees’ off-in-lieu requests
- Generates leave reports in an analytical graph or on spreadsheets
- Include additional holidays or off days that are unique to your company
- Regularly updated to the latest changes on public holidays and other regulations
If you want to know more about QuickHR HR and payroll software in Singapore, you may contact us or book a FREE trial with absolutely no terms and conditions!
Frequently Asked Questions About Off-in-Lieu and Public Holidays in Singapore (2025 MOM Guide)
Yes. Under the Employment Act of Singapore, employers must compensate eligible employees who work on a public holiday with either an extra day’s pay or a day off-in-lieu. This rule is enforced by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to ensure fair compensation for public holiday work.
For employees not covered under Part IV of the Act, employers may grant time off-in-lieu by mutual agreement based on hours worked.
A day off-in-lieu means a replacement rest day given to an employee who worked on a public holiday or rest day. In other words, it’s a compensatory day off instead of receiving extra pay.
For example, if an employee works on National Day, the employer may grant another working day off as time-off-in-lieu.
In 2025, Singapore has 11 gazetted public holidays as listed by MOM Singapore. Employees are entitled to a day off-in-lieu if any of those holidays fall on a non-working day or rest day.
Employers must provide either an extra day’s salary or a day off-in-lieu to stay compliant with MOM’s 2025 public holiday guidelines.
The phrase “in lieu of” means “in place of” or “instead of.” In a workplace context, it refers to giving employees another benefit (like time off or pay) instead of the original entitlement — for example, a day off-in-lieu instead of a paid public holiday.
Off-in-lieu refers to compensatory time off granted to employees who work during a public holiday, rest day, or weekend. It ensures fairness under Singapore’s Employment Act, giving workers either rest or monetary compensation as required by MOM regulations.
The rules for days in lieu in Singapore are set by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM):
- Employees working on a public holiday must get one extra day’s pay or a day off-in-lieu.
- If the holiday falls on a rest day, the next working day becomes a paid public holiday.
- If the holiday falls on a non-working day (e.g., Saturday for 5-day-week employees), the employer must provide either an extra day’s salary or a day off-in-lieu.
- For Part IV non-covered employees, time-off-in-lieu is based on mutually agreed hours.
Yes. You can take a day-in-lieu if you’ve worked on a public holiday or rest day, and your employer agrees to provide a replacement day off. The arrangement must follow your company’s HR policy and MOM’s public holiday guidelines.
Using a leave management system like QuickHR ensures accurate tracking and approval for such requests.
No. Compassionate leave is not mandatory under the Employment Act. However, many employers in Singapore voluntarily offer compassionate leave as part of their internal HR policies to support employees during bereavement or family emergencies.
Companies often manage this leave type within their HRMS platforms, such as QuickHR’s Leave Management System.
Yes — in 2025, Labour Day (May 1) falls on a Thursday, and Hari Raya Haji falls on Monday, May 5.
May 5 is an official public holiday according to MOM’s 2025 list, so employees do not need an off-in-lieu unless they work that day.
Those who work on May 5 must receive either an extra day’s pay or a day off-in-lieu, as required by the Employment Act.