Make clever use of bridging days in 2024

If you want to gain as much free time as possible with your vacation days, you can use a number of bridging days in 2024. Here's what you should know before you submit your vacation request.

Turn one into four: In 2024, employees in some federal states will be able to enjoy four days off in a row with one day of leave. The keyword: bridging days. So take advantage of days that fall around public holidays and weekends.

For example: German Unity Day on October 3 falls on a Thursday next year. The bridge day is then Friday, October 4. Anyone who applies for leave for this day can get an extended weekend with a total of four days off. Provided, of course, that the employer approves the bridge day as a vacation day.

And this is sometimes the crux of the matter: "The employer can refuse leave on the bridge day if there are urgent operational requirements to the contrary or if the leave requests of other employees take precedence from a social point of view," says Peter Meyer, a specialist lawyer for employment law in Berlin. Under labor law, bridge days are considered regular vacation days. "Employees do not have any further rights that require employers to grant preferential leave on bridge days."

Rotation principle and internal coordination

In addition, vacation on bridge days is attractive for many employees. However, it is often not possible for the entire workforce to take vacation - after all, operations have to continue in many companies. Sometimes a very specific person in a company cannot use the bridge day for vacation.

Meyer gives an example: A company is facing a special audit from the tax office. "In a situation like this, the chief accountant can hardly hope to take vacation on a bridge day," says Meyer.

Henryk Lüderitz, management trainer and coach in Düsseldorf, advises: "If not everyone can take time off, this should be communicated transparently by the employer." His tip for employers and managers: Encourage employees to negotiate with each other and find solutions together when it comes to vacation planning on bridge days.

"A rotation system can ensure fairness," says Lüderitz. This means that employees are given the opportunity to take time off on bridge days on a rotating basis. Those who don't get a turn this year have priority next year.

And so the public holidays around which vacation bridges can be easily built are in 2024:

International Women's Day (regional):

Since 2023, March 8 has been a public holiday not only in Berlin, but also in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. And it falls on a Friday in 2024. Anyone who enjoys the public holiday can therefore get nine days off in a row by taking four vacation days.

Easter:

Good Friday is on March 29 next year, Easter Monday on April 1. This means that many employees will have four days off in a row anyway, provided they do not have to work on Saturdays. This is because Holy Saturday is not a public holiday.

If employees who do not have to work on Saturdays apply for vacation from March 25 to Maundy Thursday (March 28) and from April 2 to 5, they will have a total of 14 days off with eight vacation days and the respective weekends.

Labor Day:

Labor Day (May 1) falls on a Wednesday in 2024. Employees therefore get nine days off for four vacation days (April 27 to May 5).

Ascension Day:

Ascension Day traditionally falls on a Thursday, next year on May 9. If you take a day off on May 10, you get four days off with the weekend.

Whitsun:

There are two public holidays here: Whit Sunday and Whit Monday. Whit Sunday is on May 19 in 2024. If employees take four days off from the Tuesday after Whitsun, i.e. from 21 May, they can be absent from work for nine days including the weekend. This also assumes that you do not have to work on Saturdays.

Corpus Christi (regional):

Corpus Christi is a public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. One that traditionally falls on a Thursday - next year on May 30. Employees who take a day off on the following Friday have four days off over the weekend.

Assumption Day (regional):

In Saarland and parts of Bavaria, Assumption Day on August 15, 2024 is a public holiday. Practical: Because this is a Thursday, employees with one day's leave get a long weekend and four days off.

Day of German Unity:

As already mentioned, German Unity Day (October 3) falls on a Thursday in 2024. Anyone who can take a vacation day on October 4 will have a long weekend.

Reformation Day (regional):

Employees in Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Schleswig-Holstein and Thuringia can rejoice: Reformation Day on October 31, 2024 is a public holiday for them - and it falls on a Thursday. So with a day off on Friday, you can enjoy a long weekend with four days off here too.

All Saints' Day (regional):

In Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, NRW, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, November 1, 2024 is a public holiday. As All Saints' Day falls on a Friday this year, employees here can have nine days off with four vacation days (28 to 31 October).

Day of Prayer and Repentance (regional):

The Day of Prayer and Repentance is a public holiday in Saxony on November 20, 2024, which is a Wednesday. Anyone in Saxony who takes leave on November 18 and 19, as well as November 21 and 22, has nine days off together with the two weekends.

Christmas:

Christmas Day and Boxing Day are conveniently located in 2024: they fall on Wednesday and Thursday. Anyone who requests five vacation days (for 23, 24, 27, 30 and 31 December) will have twelve days off in a row.