I just reviewed how the feriado nacional del 24 de marzo turned out, and honestly, it's a bit confusing if it's not explained clearly. It turns out that day was a feriado nacional inamovible, but the government also declared that Monday the 23rd was a día no laborable con fines turísticos. That means some sectors like public administration, banks, and education had a four-day break.

The interesting part is the difference between a feriado nacional and a día no laborable. On feriados nacionales, the descanso dominical applies, so if you work, you get double pay. But on días no laborables, the employer decides whether you work or not, and if you do, you receive regular pay. Quite different, right?

If you worked on March 24, you were entitled to doble jornada according to Law 20.744, but if it was on the día no laborable of the 23rd, it depended on your employer's decision. Anyway, not all sectors had those four days off. It depends on each industry and each company's internal policies.

For the rest of 2026, there are quite a few feriados coming up. We have April 2 Día del Veterano, May 1 Día del Trabajo, May 25, July 9, and several more. Some are inamovibles and others are trasladables, so it's good to stay alert. There are also some días no laborables con fines turísticos scattered throughout the year. Basically, if you understand the difference between a feriado nacional and a día no laborable, you know how to negotiate your time off or what to expect in your paycheck.