Bridge days in Slovakia 2022
Which leave days in 2022 give you the most time off? Every opportunity, ranked by return.
Long weekends
6 leave days · 24 days off · click a row for details
Year overview
2022 on a single page: working days, public holidays, weekends and school holidays in colour.
Slovak public holidays
| Date | Day | Holiday | Bridge potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday Sat | Establishment of the Slovak Republic | — | |
| Thursday Thu | Epiphany | High | |
| Friday Fri | Good Friday | Low | |
| Monday Mon | Easter Monday | Low | |
| Sunday Sun | Labour Day | — | |
| Sunday Sun | Victory over Fascism Day | — | |
| Tuesday Tue | Saints Cyril and Methodius Day | High | |
| Monday Mon | Slovak National Uprising Anniversary | Low | |
| Thursday Thu | Constitution Day | High | |
| Thursday Thu | Our Lady of Sorrows | High | |
| Friday Fri | Establishment of the Czechoslovak State | Low | |
| Tuesday Tue | All Saints' Day | High | |
| Thursday Thu | Freedom and Democracy Day | High | |
| Saturday Sat | Christmas Eve | — | |
| Sunday Sun | Christmas Day | — | |
| Monday Mon | Saint Stephen's Day | Low |
What is a bridge day?
A bridge day is the working day that separates a public holiday from the weekend. Book that day off and your day off grows into a four-day long weekend, for the price of a single leave day.
Bridge days aren't the only smart use of leave. Christmas and New Year sit close together in the calendar. With three or four well-placed leave days, you can stretch that period into ten consecutive days off.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a bridge day and a regular leave day?
Legally there's no difference: a bridge day is a regular leave day from your annual allowance. The difference is in the timing. A regular leave day gives you one day off. A bridge day, taken between a public holiday and a weekend, gives you four consecutive days off for the same single leave day. Same budget, three extra days of rest.
Which public holidays produce a bridge day?
Bridge days appear around public holidays that fall on a Tuesday or Thursday. The day in between (Monday or Friday) connects the holiday to the weekend and yields a four-day long weekend. Holidays on Monday or Friday already give you an extended weekend without needing leave. A holiday on Wednesday doesn't give you a clean bridge day, because you'd need two leave days to link it to a weekend.
What are the bridge days for 2022?
2022 has 6 bridge days:
- Epiphany on Thursday 6 January: book Friday 7 January for 4 days off.
- Saints Cyril and Methodius Day on Tuesday 5 July: book Monday 4 July for 4 days off.
- Constitution Day on Thursday 1 September: book Friday 2 September for 4 days off.
- Our Lady of Sorrows on Thursday 15 September: book Friday 16 September for 4 days off.
- All Saints' Day on Tuesday 1 November: book Monday 31 October for 4 days off.
- Freedom and Democracy Day on Thursday 17 November: book Friday 18 November for 4 days off.
Does my employer have to grant a bridge day?
No, bridge days aren't legally required. Some companies set them collectively in the work regulations or via a collective agreement, others let each employee choose. When in doubt, check with your HR department.
What if a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday?
You lose it. Slovak labour law (Zákonník práce, §122) does not provide a replacement day when a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The holiday remains formally on the calendar, but no extra day off is granted. This is the opposite of Belgian and Luxembourgish practice, where a substitute working day is given.