2026 work calendar: key information for payroll and personnel management

Labor rights
WRITTEN BY Meritxell Cruces i Mabras
12 Nov, 2025
2026 work calendar: key information for payroll and personnel management

The Directorate-General for Labour has published the work calendar for 2026, with nine common public holidays throughout Spain and the possibility for autonomous communities to adjust some dates according to their traditions. Knowing these dates in advance is key to planning payroll, leave and personnel management, avoiding errors and ensuring the smooth running of the company.  

National holidays in 2026

The nine public holidays celebrated throughout Spain are: 

  • Thursday 1 January – New Year's Day
  • Tuesday 6 January – Epiphany
  • Friday, 3 April – Good Friday
  • Friday, 1 May – Labour Day
  • Saturday, 15 August – Assumption of the Virgin
  • Monday, 12 October – Spanish National Day
  • Sunday, 1 November – All Saints' Day
  • Tuesday, 8 December – Immaculate Conception
  • Friday, 25 December – Christmas Day

These days cannot be postponed at the national level, but communities may move some days or add their own holidays.

Movable and regional holidays

  • Maundy Thursday (2 April) will be a holiday in all communities except Catalonia and the Valencian Community.
  • Some regions may move public holidays that fall on a Sunday or add celebrations such as Saint Joseph's Day (19 March) or Saint James the Apostle's Day (25 July).
  • 2 November will be a public holiday in Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, the Canary Islands, Castile-La Mancha, Castile and León, Extremadura, the Community of Madrid and Navarre.
  • 7 December will be a non-working day in Andalusia, Aragon, Asturias, Cantabria, Castile and Leon, Extremadura, the Community of Madrid, Murcia, La Rioja and Melilla.
  • In the Balearic Islands, Balearic Islands Day (1 March) is moved to Monday 2 March.


Long weekends and bank holidays

  • Long weekends: Good Friday (3 April), Labour Day (1 May), National Day (12 October) and Christmas (25 December).
  • Epiphany (6 January) falls on a Tuesday, creating the possibility of a long weekend if Monday is granted.
  • Some regions add Easter Monday (6 April), extending the long weekends to five days. 

Impact on payroll and personnel management 

Public holidays have a direct impact on labour and payroll management, according to current regulations: 

  • Paid and non-recoverable: Article 37.2 of the Workers' Statute establishes that public holidays are paid even if the worker does not provide services.
  • Working on public holidays: If an employee works on a public holiday, they must be compensated with a salary increase (usually +75%) or equivalent time off, in accordance with Royal Decree 2001/1983.
  • Collective agreements: These may establish bonuses for public holidays, substitute time off or other specific compensation.
  • Attendance and leave control: Public holidays must be recorded correctly to avoid errors in payroll and time calculations.
  • Regulatory compliance: Regional differences may affect agreements and working conditions depending on the worker's location, so personnel management must be adapted in each territory.