Part Time Holiday Pay in Southeast Asia: 2026 Guide

Part time employees may work fewer hours than full time employees, but that does not automatically remove their right to public holiday pay.

Across Southeast Asia, holiday pay entitlements depend on local employment law, the employee’s classification, their normal working schedule and whether they work on the public holiday.

For employers managing teams in several countries, applying one holiday pay policy across the region can lead to payroll errors. Each employee’s entitlement should be calculated according to the law of the country where they work.

This guide explains how part time holiday pay works in Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam.

What is Part Time Holiday Pay?

Part time holiday pay is the compensation an eligible part time employee receives for a legally recognised public holiday.

Depending on the country, an employee may be entitled to:

1. Paid time off on the public holiday
2. Prorated holiday pay based on working hours
3. Additional pay when working on the holiday
4. A replacement day off
5. Overtime pay for hours worked

Public holiday pay is different from annual leave pay. Public holidays are set by law or government announcement, while annual leave is an employee benefit earned according to service and local legislation.

How Southeast Asia Handles Holiday Pay for Part-timers

Part Time Holiday Pay in Singapore

In Singapore, an employee is generally considered part time when they work fewer than 35 hours per week under a contract of service.

Part time employees are entitled to paid public holidays. However, their public holiday pay is prorated according to their working hours compared with those of a similar full time employee.

The Ministry of Manpower provides the following calculation:

Part time annual working hours ÷ full time annual working hours × full time public holiday entitlement × full time daily working hours

Singapore holiday pay calculation example:

1. A part time employee works 22 hours per week
2. A similar full time employee works 44 hours per week
3. The full time employee works eight hours per day
4. The employee is entitled to 11 public holidays

The calculation would be:

(22 × 52) ÷ (44 × 52) × 11 × 8 = 44 hours

The part time employee therefore receives 44 hours of public holiday pay across the 11 public holidays.

For each public holiday:

44 hours ÷ 11 public holidays = 4 hours of pay

When a part time employee is required to work on a public holiday, they should generally receive:

1. Their basic rate of pay for one day’s work
2. Their prorated public holiday entitlement
3. One day of travel allowance if this is included in their employment contract

The final amount may also depend on whether the public holiday falls on the employee’s normal working day, nonworking day or rest day.

If an employee works beyond their normal hours, overtime requirements may also apply. MOM provides separate rules for public holiday entitlement and pay.

A part time employee and employer may agree to encash the employee’s public holiday entitlement and include it in the hourly gross rate of pay.

This arrangement must be clearly stated in the employment contract. Employers should show the calculation transparently so the employee understands how much of the hourly rate represents public holiday pay.

Part Time Holiday Pay in Malaysia

In Peninsular Malaysia and Labuan, eligible part time employees are covered by the Employment Act 1955 and the Employment (Part Time Employees) Regulations 2010.

Under the regulations, a part time employee is entitled to at least seven paid gazetted public holidays in a calendar year. Four of these must include:

1. National Day
2. The birthday of the Yang di Pertuan Agong
3. The birthday of the relevant state ruler or Federal Territory Day
4. Workers’ Day

Additional holidays declared under section 8 of the Holidays Act 1951 may also apply.

The employer must identify the selected public holidays before the beginning of the calendar year. Employers and employees may agree to substitute certain holidays with other paid days.

When an employee works their normal hours on a paid public holiday, they must receive at least two days’ wages in addition to the holiday pay for that day.

If they work beyond their normal part time hours, the applicable rate is generally:

1. At least twice the hourly rate for hours beyond the employee’s normal hours but within the normal hours of a comparable full time employee
2. At least three times the hourly rate for hours beyond the normal hours of the comparable full time employee

These requirements are set out in Malaysia’s official Employment (Part Time Employees) Regulations 2010.

Employment rules in Sabah and Sarawak are governed by separate labour ordinances. Employers should therefore confirm which legal framework applies based on the employee’s location.

Part Time Holiday Pay in the Philippines

In the Philippines, working fewer hours does not by itself exclude an employee from statutory holiday pay.

Covered employees are generally entitled to their regular daily wage when they do not work on a regular holiday, subject to eligibility and attendance requirements.

When an employee works on a regular holiday for up to eight hours, the minimum payment is generally 200% of their regular daily wage.

If the regular holiday also falls on the employee’s scheduled rest day, the employee is generally entitled to an additional premium. Work beyond eight hours may attract further overtime pay.

The official Department of Labor and Employment rules provide the applicable payment percentages for each announced holiday.

Employers should distinguish between regular holidays and special nonworking days.

For a regular holiday:

1. A covered employee who does not work may still receive holiday pay
2. An employee who works generally receives at least 200% of the applicable daily wage for the first eight hours

For a special nonworking day:

1. The usual principle is no work, no pay, unless a company policy, employment contract or collective agreement provides otherwise
2. An employee who works generally receives an additional premium

Some employees and smaller retail or service establishments may fall within statutory exclusions. Employers should check the employee’s coverage before processing payroll.

Part Time Holiday Pay in Indonesia

Indonesia does not use one holiday pay formula based solely on whether an employee is labelled part time.

The employee’s contract, working schedule, wage basis and legal employment status all affect the calculation. An employee with an employment relationship may still qualify for statutory protections even when working reduced hours.

When eligible employees work on an official public holiday, the hours are generally treated as overtime.

For an employee following a five day, 40 hour workweek, the statutory framework provides:

1. Twice the hourly wage for the first eight hours
2. Three times the hourly wage for the ninth hour
3. Four times the hourly wage for the tenth, eleventh and twelfth hours

For an employee following a six day, 40 hour workweek:

1. Twice the hourly wage for the first seven hours
2. Three times the hourly wage for the eighth hour
3. Four times the hourly wage for the ninth, tenth and eleventh hours

The standard hourly wage for a monthly paid employee is generally calculated as:

Monthly wage ÷ 173

These calculations are established under Government Regulation Number 35 of 2021.

Employers using hourly, daily or reduced hour arrangements should confirm the appropriate wage base before applying these multipliers.

Part Time Holiday Pay in Vietnam

Vietnamese labour law defines a part time employee as someone who works fewer than the normal daily, weekly or monthly hours.

Part time employees are entitled to salary, equal rights and equal treatment compared with full time employees. This includes the right to fully paid public holidays.

Vietnam provides 11 statutory public holiday days:

1. One day for the Gregorian New Year
2. Five days for the Lunar New Year
3. One day for Victory Day
4. One day for International Labour Day
5. Two days for National Day
6. One day for the Hung Kings Commemoration Day

Foreign employees also receive one traditional public holiday and one National Day from their home country.

When an employee works during a public holiday, the employee must generally receive at least 300% of their normal pay. This amount does not include the normal public holiday wage for daily paid employees.

As a result, the total payment for an eligible daily paid employee may reach at least 400% of the normal daily wage.

These provisions appear in Articles 32, 98 and 112 of the Vietnam Labour Code 2019

Manage Part Time Employees Compliantly Across Southeast Asia

Part time employment can help companies respond to changing workloads and access specialised talent. However, every market has different rules for public holidays, overtime, payroll and employment contracts.

Glints TalentHub helps companies attract, hire, onboard, pay and retain Southeast Asian professionals through one unified solution. You receive local support for employment contracts, payroll administration, statutory benefits and ongoing compliance.

Build and manage your Southeast Asian team with greater confidence.

Talk to a Glints TalentHub expert

Conclusion

Part time employees may be entitled to paid public holidays, additional pay or time off, depending on the country where they work. Since each Southeast Asian market applies different rules, employers should review the employee’s classification, normal schedule, contract and local requirements before calculating holiday pay.

Clear policies and accurate payroll records can help prevent underpayments, employee disputes and compliance risks.

If your business lacks in-house HR teams or local business entities, partnering with a professional employer organization (PEO) or an employer of record (EOR) can be invaluable. Glints TalentHub offers comprehensive HR services to ensure your business remains compliant and efficient. We provide on-ground support tailored to the unique needs of each market, making us the ideal HR service partner for all your people-related needs.

Schedule a no-obligation consultation with our experts to receive a tailored proposal today.