Is São João a holiday? See where the date guarantees time off and what workers' rights are

St. John's Day will be a holiday in at least 5 state capitals and cities where the saint is the patron The federal government does not consider St. John's Day, celebrated on June 24, to be a national holiday or an optional workday. Even so, the date guarantees time off for thousands of workers in different regions of the country, especially in the Northeast, where the June festivals ("festas juninas") have a strong tradition. This happens because states and municipalities can establish local holidays through their own legislation.

This year, St. John's Day will be a holiday in at least five Brazilian capitals: Aracaju (SE) João Pessoa (PB) Maceió (AL) Recife (PE) Salvador (BA) In João Pessoa, the rest period will be even longer. In addition to the St. John's holiday, the city hall decreed an optional workday for June 22 and 23 for municipal public servants, extending the celebrations in the capital of Paraíba. The date will also be a holiday in cities renowned for their traditional June festivals, such as Caruaru (PE) and Campina Grande (PB), as well as Niterói (RJ) and Barueri (SP), where Saint John is the patron saint. In Pernambuco and Alagoas, the scope of the day off is even broader.

This is because June 24 is considered a state holiday, benefiting workers in various cities beyond the capitals. In locations where São João is officially a holiday, employees must be excused from work. If they are called upon to perform their duties, they are entitled to double pay for the hours worked or compensatory time off, as provided by labor legislation. St. John's Day is celebrated on June 24 GETTY IMAGES Below, g1 explains other workers' rights through the following questions: What is an optional workday ("ponto facultativo")? Am I required to work during a holiday or optional workday? I missed work, even though I was scheduled.

Can I be fired for just cause? Are the rules different for permanent and temporary employees? What is the next holiday in 2025? 1. What is an optional workday ("ponto facultativo")? On optional workdays, public servants are excused from duty without loss of pay.

The measure is decreed on regular working days, usually between holidays and weekends. In the private sector, unlike what happens on holidays, employers are not obligated to give employees time off, pay double wages, or offer compensatory time off. Return to index. 2.

Am I required to work during a holiday or optional workday? Labor laws prohibit the performance of professional activities during civil and religious holidays. However, there are exceptions.

The law authorizes work in certain sectors classified as essential. This is the case for industries, commerce, transportation, funeral services, security-related activities, among others.

Additionally, the employer may request that the employee work during the holiday when there is a collective bargaining agreement, which is a prior agreement made between employers and unions. As for optional workdays, the right to time off is granted exclusively to public servants.

Return to index. 3. I missed work, even though I was scheduled.

Can I be fired for just cause? It depends. The absence, in the face of the employer's requirement to attend, may be construed as insubordination, which is disobedience to a superior.

"However, dismissal for just cause generally does not stem from an isolated event, but from repeated misconduct," says Ana Gabriela Burlamaqui, a labor lawyer. Consequently, termination for just cause typically follows a process that must include a accumulation of written warnings and attempts to correct behavior.

Return to index. 4. Are the rules different for permanent and temporary employees? The basic rules regarding work on holidays apply to both permanent and temporary employees, including the right to double pay or compensatory time off.

However, temporary employment contracts may also have specific pre-conditions. Return to index. 5.

What is the next holiday in 2026? In total, there are still six national holidays left in 2026 — and five of them can be extended, lengthening the days of rest. The next national holiday, however, will not happen until three months from now: September 7th, Brazil's Independence Day, which this year falls on a Monday and could yield an extended weekend for those who don't work weekends. Return to index. Calendar 2026 g1 Watch: Short Friday: leaving work early on Fridays is already a reality in some companies What those who went through the 4-day workweek test in Brazil have to say.