In Suriname, the law stipulates that employees who have served a full calendar year with the same employer are entitled to a minimum of 12 vacation days per year. For every subsequent year of service up to three years, employees earn an additional two vacation days per year. Once an employee has served four years, the minimum entitlement increases to 18 days of vacation.

Factors Affecting Entitlement

• Continuous Service: The entitlement to vacation days is dependent on uninterrupted employment with the same employer.
• Unused Leave: Vacation days that have been accrued must be used within a year and cannot be set off against a termination notice period.
• Prorated Calculation: If an employee works less than a full calendar year, the leave is prorated.
• Vacation Allowance: Employees are entitled to a vacation allowance equal to 50% of their wages, in addition to their regular salary.

Suriname, a small country on the northeastern coast of South America, celebrates a variety of public holidays. These holidays are a mix of national and religious observances that reflect the country's diverse cultural heritage.

National Holidays

Suriname's national holidays include:

• New Year's Day on January 1st
• Revolution Day on February 25th, which commemorates the 1980 military coup
• Labor Day on May 1st
• Keti Koti (Emancipation Day) on July 1st, which celebrates the abolition of slavery
• Indigenous Peoples' Day on August 9th
• Maroon Day on October 10th, which honors the Maroons, descendants of escaped slaves who established independent communities
• Independence Day on November 25th
• Christmas Day on December 25th
• Boxing Day on December 26th

Religious Holidays

Religious holidays in Suriname include:

• Holi Phagwa, the Hindu festival of colors, the date of which varies according to the Hindu calendar
• Good Friday, the date of which varies according to the Christian calendar
• Easter Sunday, the date of which varies according to the Christian calendar
• Id-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan, the date of which varies according to the Islamic calendar
• Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, the date of which varies according to the Hindu calendar

Variable Dates

It's important to note that holidays based on the Hindu and Islamic calendars change dates each year due to the lunar nature of these calendars.

In Suriname, employees are entitled to various types of leave. These include annual leave, sick leave, maternity leave, paternity leave, bereavement leave, and special leave.

Annual Leave

Employees are entitled to a minimum of 12 vacation days per year for their first year of service. After that, two additional days are granted for each year of service up to three years. Starting from the fourth year, the minimum becomes 18 days. This is according to the Vacation Act of 1975.

Sick Leave

Employees are entitled to paid sick leave with medical certification. The extent of paid leave may depend on length of service and company policies. This is based on general provisions found in the Civil Code of Suriname.

Maternity Leave

Female employees are granted 16 weeks (approximately 112 days) of paid maternity leave. This is according to provisions within the Labor Law, although a specific reference is difficult to find.

Paternity Leave

Fathers are entitled to a limited number of days of paid paternity leave. This is also based on provisions within the Labor Law, but a specific reference is hard to find.

Bereavement Leave

Employees are often granted a short period of leave to attend funerals of immediate family members.

Special Leave

Some companies may offer leave for religious observances or personal circumstances depending on their policies.

It's important to note that employers may outline specific leave policies in their employee handbooks or contracts. Additionally, some sectors may have specific provisions for leave entitlements within relevant collective bargaining agreements.