Argentina: Next national long weekend set for October 12

Argentinians looking forward to their next extended break will have to wait until October for a national long weekend. The next opportunity for a three-day respite will occur on Monday, October 12, which is designated as the Day of Cultural Respect (formerly Día de la Raza).

This upcoming holiday will create a consecutive weekend from Saturday, October 10, through Monday, October 12. This break follows the August long weekend and precedes a period where no national holidays fall in September, the only month of the year without such observances.

The Day of Cultural Respect commemorates the first encounter between Europeans, led by Christopher Columbus, and the indigenous peoples of the Americas on October 12, 1492. Originally established as Día de la Raza in 1917 by President Hipólito Yrigoyen, the name was changed by presidential decree last year to promote a more inclusive understanding of this historical event.

Regarding compensation for working on this national holiday, Argentine labor law (Law 20.744) stipulates that national holidays are governed by the same rules as Sunday rest days. Consequently, employees working on October 12 are entitled to double their regular daily wage. This provision aims to uphold workers' right to mandatory rest.