2025 Holidays - Cameroon

Cameroon Public Holiday Observance Rules

1. When a Public Holiday Falls on a Sunday

- Monday Replacement: In Cameroon, if a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed as the public holiday-in-lieu.

- Applies to all holidays: This rule covers both religious (e.g., Eid al-Fitr, Christmas) and national holidays (e.g., National Day) that might land on a Sunday.

- Employer compliance: Public and private employers must treat Monday as the holiday. Any work required on that Monday entitles employees to additional pay or compensatory time off, according to labor regulations.

2. When a Public Holiday Falls on a Saturday

- No official shift: If a public holiday falls on a Saturday, it stays on Saturday; there is no universal policy moving it to another day.

- Usual practice: If employees normally work on Saturdays, they observe the holiday that day. If Saturday is a rest day, employees simply mark the holiday date accordingly.

- Overtime pay or leave: Employees required to work on a Saturday public holiday should receive overtime pay or time off in lieu, in line with Cameroon’s labor laws and any collective agreements.

3. Bridge Holidays (Long Weekends)

- No automatic bridging: Cameroon does not ordinarily declare an extra “bridge” day when a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday.

- Government decrees: The government may occasionally announce additional rest days for significant national events, but this is on an ad hoc basis.

- Employer-based decisions: Some employers may choose to close for a long weekend, but it is not mandated by law.

4. Special Cases for Public Holidays

- Religious holidays: Cameroon observes Christian and Muslim holidays. If such a holiday (e.g., Easter Monday, Eid al-Fitr) falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is treated as the holiday.

- National commemorations: Important dates, such as National Day (20 May), follow the Sunday-to-Monday shift if they happen to coincide with a Sunday.

- Ad hoc holidays: Occasionally, the government may declare extra holidays for major events (like state funerals). These typically follow the same rules, applying the Sunday-to-Monday shift if it falls on a Sunday.

5. Additional Notes

- Legal framework: Public holidays in Cameroon are determined by ordinances and decrees, which outline the shift of Sunday holidays to Monday.

- Advance announcements: The government typically publishes holiday dates in advance; any adjustments or additional holidays are circulated via official notices.

- Compensation for holiday work: Employees required to work on an official holiday—whether the original date or the Monday replacement—are generally entitled to premium pay or compensatory leave, as per labor laws.

- Employer flexibility: Employers may go beyond the statutory requirements, for instance by offering bridging days or providing an extra day off if a holiday spans a weekend, but those are voluntary decisions.