If they fall on the weekend: Politician wants to catch up on public holidays

Berlin – When public holidays fall on a weekend, it annoys most people – after all, a day off is lost. In other countries, public holidays are simply made up. A model for Germany too, according to left-wing Bundestag member Christian Görke.

Business representatives recently called for legal Holidays to plan specifically for the weekend. The business associations Berlin-Brandenburg justified this initiative with the weak economy in the capital region.

Other countries make up the holiday on the next working day

Their calculation: Every additional working day would bring Berlin an economic benefit of around 230 million euros. They particularly targeted International Women’s Day on March 8thwhich has been a public holiday in Berlin since 2019.

“The tables have to be turned,” counters Görke, parliamentary director of the Left Bundestag group. “Instead of restricting hard-won workers’ rights, we need to expand them.” Spain, Belgium and Great Britain set a good example. “If public holidays fall on a Sunday, they will be made up on the next working day,” he said Politician.

On average, Germans are absent sick for 17.7 days

Germany’s economy is already suffering so badly – also because we are going to work on fewer and fewer days. According to “Techniker Krankenkasse” (TK) Insured people were missing an average of 17.7 days in the first eleven months of 2024. The EU average is just eight days of illness.

“Germany is now the world champion when it comes to sickness reports,” said Allianz boss Oliver Bäte (59) Alarm in an interview with “Handelsblatt“. As an effective remedy against bluewashing, he called for to cancel continued payment of wages on the first day of illness and thus reintroduce the so-called waiting day. In other words: without a certificate, no money from day 1.

By the way: In 2025, Labor Day (May 1st), Ascension Day (May 29th) and Corpus Christi (June 19th) will fall on a Thursday, German Unity Day (October 3rd) and Reformation Day (October 31st) will fall on a Friday . We celebrate Christmas (December 25th and 26th) on Thursday and Friday.