This is one of the most common questions in Portuguese HR management. The answer is not simply yes or no - it depends on the sector, activity and contractual provisions.

The general rule: no, you are not obliged

Under the Portuguese Labour Code, a mandatory public holiday is a rest day. The employee is not required to work, except in exceptional cases established by law.

When you may be required to work

• Essential services: health, security, utilities, transport. In these sectors the employer can require work on public holidays, subject to legal minimum service rules.
• Your contract or collective agreement explicitly provides for work on public holidays in exchange for premium pay or compensatory rest.
• Your role is in a sector where the Labour Authority has approved continuity of operations.

What you are entitled to receive

If you work on a mandatory public holiday, you are entitled to: payment with a 50% surcharge on the normal hourly rate; OR compensatory rest of an equivalent period. Some collective agreements provide more favourable conditions.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.