As May 7, 2025, marks the last working day before a long weekend in honor of Victory Day, Russian workers are gearing up for a brief but busy day. However, contrary to some expectations, this Wednesday will not see a shortened workday. According to Russian labor laws, working hours are reduced only before official holidays. With May 8 not being a public holiday, employees will need to complete a full day at work before enjoying a four-day weekend.
Yaroslav Nilov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labor, confirmed this on May 7, stating, "May 8 is not a holiday but an ordinary day off. Therefore, on May 7, we will work as usual. This is a regular working day." The confusion arises because May 8 was designated as a day off after Defender of the Fatherland Day, which fell on a Sunday this year, thus getting postponed to allow for an extra day of rest.
As per the production calendar, May 8, 2025, is a regular day off, and this means that the preceding day will not be considered a pre-holiday. Consequently, employees will work in standard mode on May 7, with no early departures allowed. Marina Lopatina, a lawyer at the Institute for Social Analysis and Forecasting of the RANEPA, elaborated on the implications of working during this period. She explained that holidays from May 8 to May 11 will be compensated either at double the standard pay rates or with additional days off.
In 2025, Russians will enjoy a total of 13 public holidays throughout May. The holiday period started with a four-day break from May 1 to May 4, followed by the upcoming days off from May 8 to May 11. The day off on May 2 was also made possible due to the postponement of a holiday that fell on a Saturday. This careful planning allows workers to maintain a balance between work and leisure.
For those working during the holidays, the Labor Code mandates that their work must be compensated at least at double the rate compared to regular working days. Employees with fixed salaries may also receive additional payments for any overtime worked if their hours exceed the established norms. This provision is designed to ensure fair compensation and to encourage a work-life balance.
Looking ahead, after this brief working week from May 5 to May 7, employees can look forward to the next long weekend, which will occur from June 11 to June 15, 2025, in celebration of Russia Day. June 11 will be a pre-holiday day, meaning working hours will be reduced on that day as well.
In conclusion, while May 7 may not offer the anticipated shortened hours, the upcoming long weekend certainly provides a welcome break for Russian workers. With thoughtful adjustments to the public holiday schedule, the government aims to ensure that citizens can enjoy their time off while also fulfilling their work obligations.
