On Monday, May 5, 2025, Liberation Day falls in an anniversary year. This raises the question: will employees get time off with pay on this day? The answer depends on the agreements in the company's collective bargaining agreement or terms of employment.

Since 1959, the Labor Foundation has recommended that employees be given time off, with pay, on May 5 in anniversary years. This therefore also applies to Liberation Day in 2025. The Foundation recently advised decentralized collective bargaining parties to follow this recommendation, as long as working conditions and business interests do not get in the way.

In practice, most employees will also be off on May 5 and have their salaries paid, but the law does not stipulate that Liberation Day is automatically a paid day off. What happens depends on what is stated in the collective bargaining agreement or employment conditions regulation (avr). In some cases, an allowance of 100 percent may even be paid or a time-for-time arrangement applies if employees work on this day.

If the company is not subject to a collective bargaining agreement or terms of employment, and the employer does not give time off on Liberation Day, the employer is not required to provide additional compensation.

This news release is important for workers because it clarifies what their rights are on Liberation Day and whether they are entitled to continued pay or compensation if they have to work. It helps them understand what to expect and what arrangements apply in their particular situation.

Source : https://www.salarisvanmorgen.nl/2025/03/04/bevrijdingsdag-in-lustrumjaar-vrij-met-behoud-van-loon/