Under What Circumstances Can A Supervisor In Belarus Cancel A Day Off And Call An Employee Back To Work?

15.11.2026, 12:38

In some cases, an additional payment is provided; in others, you can receive an extra day off.

You’re already making plans for the weekend when your boss suddenly says, “You need to come in to work.” Or a holiday falls on your shift, and you’ll have to take time off on another day. But this kind of work isn’t always paid the same as regular work. In some cases, you’re entitled to extra pay; in others, you can get an additional day off.

Let’s take a look at when an employer can ask you to work on a day off, how much they’re required to pay you for it, and whether you can refuse, writes Onlíner.

When are you entitled to extra pay for working on a day off?

If you work, like most people, five days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., you may be asked to work on your regular day off. Generally, this requires your written consent. If you agree, you are entitled to additional pay for working on a day off.

With the employee’s consent, an additional unpaid day off may be granted in lieu of the additional pay.

How is work on days off documented?

In organizations where working on holidays is permitted by law, such shifts may be scheduled in advance as part of the shift schedule. In all other cases, requiring an employee to work on a day off requires the employee’s written consent and an order from the employer.

How is work paid when everyone else is off?

For each hour worked during overtime, on public holidays, festive days, and weekends, the employee must be paid an additional amount (Part 1 of Article 69 of the Labor Code). The additional pay rates are as follows:

for piece-rate workers—not less than the piece-rate rates;

for employees paid on an hourly basis—not less than the hourly rates (tariff wages) or salaries.

In other words, an employee paid on an hourly basis is paid at least double the regular rate for each hour worked during overtime, on federal holidays, and on holidays and days off. The specific amount of the premium is established by the employment contract and/or the employer’s local legal act.

For work during overtime and on days off, another unpaid day off may be granted in lieu of the premium, with the employee’s consent. One day off for every eight hours worked is granted specifically for overtime work.

Is everyone entitled to extra pay for working on weekends?

In short, not everyone is entitled to it on weekends, but everyone is on holidays. In organizations that operate around the clock (such as an ambulance service, fire department, or late-night store), employees typically work in shifts; that is, their days off are not necessarily on Saturday or Sunday, but rotate among different days of the week, so there are no extra pay bonuses for working on Saturdays or Sundays. However, if it’s not just a day off but also a public holiday, employees are entitled to additional pay for working on that day in accordance with Article 69 of the Labor Code. Public holidays in this case are:

January 1 and 2 — New Year’s Day;

January 7 — Orthodox Christmas;

March 8 — Women’s Day;

date determined annually — Radunitsa (Orthodox);

May 1 — Labor Day;

May 9 — Victory Day;

July 3 — Independence Day;

November 7 — October Revolution Day;

December 25 — Catholic Christmas.

For shift work, if Saturday or Sunday is a regular workday according to the schedule, no additional pay is due for that day. However, if it is your day off, you are entitled to additional pay for working on that day. Work on a public holiday is paid with a premium in accordance with Article 69 of the Labor Code.

It is important to calculate how many working hours you have accumulated for the month (the standard number of working hours can be found in the Ministry of Labor’s calendar for 2026). If work on a public holiday or a holiday falls outside the monthly standard working hours, the employee is entitled, at their request, to an additional unpaid day off in addition to the premium pay.

In addition, for every hour worked at night or during a night shift under a rotating work schedule, you are also entitled to a premium in the amount established by a collective bargaining agreement, an agreement, or the employer, but not less than 20% of the employee’s hourly rate (base salary). A night shift is one in which more than half of the shift falls between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

I like getting double pay—can I take the whole weekend off?

No, there are restrictions on working on weekends. First, you may work no more than 12 weekend days per calendar year (from January 1 to December 31). Even with your consent, this would violate labor laws. However, these days do not include being called in to work during emergencies (see the section on the apocalypse).

Second, the scheduled weekly uninterrupted rest period must be at least 42 hours.

Are you required to agree to work on a day off or a holiday?

As a general rule, working on a day off requires the employee’s consent. Pregnant women and employees under the age of 18 may not be required to work on weekends or public holidays. Women with children under the age of 14 or children with disabilities under the age of 18 may only be required to work with their written consent. People with disabilities may be required to work with their consent, provided such work is not prohibited by their individual rehabilitation program.

What if the apocalypse really does happen on my day off?

An employer may require you to work on your day off without your consent only in the exceptional cases listed by law:

preventing a disaster or industrial accident, or eliminating their consequences or the consequences of a natural disaster;

preventing accidents;

addressing unforeseen or unexpected circumstances that may disrupt or have disrupted the normal operation of water supply, gas supply, heating, lighting, sewage systems, transportation, or communications;

providing emergency medical care if the employee is a member of the medical staff.

If, in such emergency situations, you fail to report to work as required by your employer without a valid reason, this may be considered an unauthorized absence.

What should you do if your employer violates the law?

First, make it clear that you know the law and that they are violating it. If this doesn’t convince your employer, you can file a complaint with the labor dispute commission (if your organization has one) or take the matter to court. But before doing so, try to document all violations: you can never have too much evidence.

You do not need to pay a filing fee when filing a lawsuit: in labor disputes, the employee is exempt from court costs regardless of the court’s decision.

You also have the right to file a complaint with the Department of State Labor Inspection of the Ministry of Labor and its regional offices, the prosecutor’s office, and the regional offices of the State Control Committee.

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