Start planning around these Singapore public holidays in 2014

Mark these 11 public holidays.

According to the Minisitry of Manpower, the dates for the 11 gazetted public holidays for 2014 are as follows:

New Year's Day - 1 January 2014 Wednesday
Chinese New Year - 31 January 2014 Friday, 1 February 2014 Saturday
Good Friday - 18 April 2014 Friday
Labour Day - 1 May 2014 Thursday
Vesak Day - 13 May 2014 Tuesday
Hari Raya Puasa - 28 July 2014 Monday
National Day - 9 August 2014 Saturday
Hari Raya Haji - 5 October 2014* Sunday
Deepavali - 23 October 2014** Thursday
Christmas Day - 25 December 2014 Thursday
* The following Monday will be a public holiday.
** Subject to change.

The Ministry of Manpower also said that, tentatively, Deepavali will fall on, 23 October in 2014. "This date will need to be reconfirmed against the Hindu Almanac when it is available1. Should there be a change in the date, the Ministry of Manpower will issue a media release to announce the change accordingly," it said.

As for the 2013 holidays, the agency said that the Deepavali date for 2013 has now been confirmed. The Hindu Advisory Board (HAB) has advised that Deepavali will fall on 2 November 2013 (Saturday) instead of 3 November 2013 (Sunday).

?Since Deepavali is no longer on 3 November 2013 (Sunday), 4 November 2013 (Monday) will not be a public holiday. Instead, 2 November 2013 (Saturday) will be gazetted as a public holiday," it said.

The ministry also reiterated its reminder that all employers that under the Employment Act, an employee who is required to work on a public holiday is entitled to an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay, in addition to the gross rate of pay for that holiday. The employer and employee may mutually agree to substitute a public holiday for any other day.

For public holidays falling on Saturdays, an employee who is not required to work on Saturdays is entitled to claim a day off or compensation in lieu for that public holiday, if the employee is covered under the Employment Act.