Lunar New Year Holiday 2015 to be Decided by Prime Minister

Lunar New Year Holiday 2015 to be Decided by Prime Minister

The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs has submitted to the prime minister the two proposals for this year’s Tet holiday schedule. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will decide whether the Lunar New Year holiday for 2015 will take seven or nine days.

 

Under the seven-day Tet holiday option, state workers will have an uninterrupted break from February 18 – 24, 2015. If the nine-day vacation will be chosen, government employees will have days off from February 15 - 23, 2015, but they will have to report for work on February 14, Saturday to make up for the extra day off on February 16, Monday.

 

In order to get the public’s opinion on the matter, the ministry released a poll asking whether the people would prefer the seven days or nine-day Tet holiday. Results showed that majority preferred the first choice because it meant seven days straight of pure rest and relaxation before and even after festival. The second option may be a longer break, but it has a one-day interruption wherein civil servants have to go back to their offices to work to pay off for an additional day off. Especially for those who are working away from their homes and haven’t seen their families for a long time, this is not very agreeable. They would naturally choose an uninterrupted holiday wherein they can spend quality time with their loved ones and truly enjoy the festivities of the Lunar New Year.

 

In reference to the Gregorian calendar, the ministry proposed January 2, 2015, Friday to be announced a holiday to give the government employees four days break from their work from January 1 – 4. It wouldn’t be a straight vacation though because like in the Chinese calendar, they also have to report to work on a Saturday, December 27, 2014, to make up for the additional day off.   

 

How long the Tet holiday will be this 2015 will soon be decided by the prime minister, his judgement basing on what is best for the hardworking and deserving public servants, for the total success of the Lunar New Year.