Previously, based on grasping the actual situation and summarizing opinions from trade union levels, businesses and workers, on April 8, 2026, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor organized a widespread consultation with union members, civil servants, public employees, and workers on the plan to arrange compensatory holidays for the Hung Kings Commemoration Day 2026 according to different plans:
(1) No swap; (2) Changing from April 27 to April 29; (3) Changing from April 27 to May 2; (4) Other options.
On the afternoon of April 9, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor informed that as of 7:00 AM on April 9, 2026, the survey had recorded more than 70,000 participants.
Of which, about 62% of opinions support the option of swapping compensatory holidays, showing that most workers have a need to swap compensatory holidays to extend their holidays in order to have conditions to rest, regenerate labor and take care of family life.
According to current legal regulations (Clause 3, Article 111 of the 2019 Labor Code): "If the weekly holiday coincides with a holiday or Tet, employees are entitled to compensatory weekly holiday on the next working day.
This is also the reason why, to date, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has not yet sent a written petition to the competent authority on studying the swap of compensatory holidays.
However, in 2026, the Hung Kings Commemoration Day (March 10th of the lunar calendar, i.e. April 26th, 2026) takes place very close to the April 30th and May 1st holidays, only 2 working days apart.
When reasonable compensatory holidays are not exchanged, workers' holidays will be divided into many short holidays interspersed with working days.
This reality raises the requirement for a more flexible approach to harmonize between legal regulations and the legitimate needs of workers.
The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor believes that arranging long holidays is not only meaningful for the health and spirit recovery, connecting family feelings of workers but also contributes to stimulating consumption and tourism, thereby having a positive impact on socio-economic development.
From the above reality, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor proposed to competent authorities to study and improve legal regulations in the direction of still maintaining the general principle: "compensating for weekly days off on the next working day", but at the same time supplementing a flexible mechanism in special cases, when holidays are close to each other such as 2026.
Accordingly, it is possible to delegate power to the Prime Minister, based on the proposals of ministries and sectors and the opinions of labor representative organizations, to consider and decide on the exchange of holidays before or after to be appropriate, ensuring harmony between the interests of workers, businesses and the common interests of society.
Regarding the holidays in the coming time, according to Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo, November 24, 2026 is identified as "Vietnamese Culture Day" with the policy of being a full-time holiday.
Because this day falls on Tuesday, many union members and workers have proposed that the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor propose to competent authorities to swap the working day from Monday (November 23) to make up for Saturday next week to create a 4-day continuous holiday from November 21 to November 24, 2026.
The Vietnam General Confederation of Labor said that it will continue to summarize opinions from the grassroots level, coordinate with relevant agencies to propose to improve policies in a direction that is increasingly suitable for the reality of labor life, contributing to improving welfare for workers and stabilizing labor relations in the new situation.
