Lesotho Public Holidays
Discover upcoming public holiday dates for Lesotho and start planning to make the most of your time off.
The Kingdom of Lesotho currently celebrates 11 national holidays each year. National holidays are regulated by the Public Holiday Act of 1995. This Act overrides any previous Acts concerning holidays.
It should be noted that the Public Holiday Act of 1995 has been amended by public decree due to a change in Kings. This decree changes the public holiday commemorating the birthday of the king to reflect the new kings’ birthdate. Additionally, a public decree has been made declaring Boxing Day a national holiday.
The Labour Laws of Lesotho require that all employers provide their employees with a paid day off for a national holiday. Pay rates are at the same rate at which the employee is paid for normal hours worked. Employees that are required to work on a national holiday are provided with a different paid day off in lieu of the holiday.
The government of Lesotho reserves the right to declare one-time national holidays by publication. Many times these holidays are declared with very short notice to the employers. Regardless, all national holidays must be observed within the country.
The government also reserves the right to move holiday celebrations to the following Monday if any national holiday occurs on a Sunday. The government will also release in the beginning of each year the official dates for national holidays. This announcement is made by official publication.