The rejection of the bill reflects ongoing tensions between labor demands and legislative action in Russia, particularly regarding holiday regulations.
The proposal's failure indicates a disconnect between public sentiment and governmental responsiveness, as many citizens favor December 31 as a holiday.
The discussions surrounding this issue highlight the broader context of labor rights and the need for legislative clarity in Russia.
Future discussions on the status of December 31 as a holiday may lead to increased public pressure on lawmakers to reconsider their stance.
If the Ministry of Labor decides to push for December 31 as a holiday in the 2025 calendar, it could signal a shift in labor policy in Russia.
Continued public interest in this issue may prompt further legislative proposals in the coming years.
The State Duma of Russia has rejected a bill that aimed to designate December 31 as a non-working holiday, a proposal that has been under consideration since December 2020. The initiative, presented by deputies from the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), suggested replacing the January 8 holiday with December 31 to better accommodate workers' needs during the New Year celebrations. The bill's authors argued that many employees take unpaid leave on December 31 to prepare for the holiday, indicating that the current labor structure is not effectively serving the workforce's interests.
The current non-working holidays in Russia include the New Year holidays from January 1 to January 6, Christmas on January 7, and January 8. Yaroslav Nilov, head of the State Duma Committee on Labor, emphasized that establishing December 31 as a holiday would alleviate the need for a half-working day on December 28, allowing for a smoother transition into the New Year festivities. He pointed out that the lack of regulation regarding December 31 leads to annual debates on the topic.
In a previous statement, President Vladimir Putin had recommended that regions declare December 31 a day off, highlighting the public's demand for such a change. The Ministry of Labor, led by Anton Kotyakov, has indicated that the matter may be revisited when planning the production calendar for 2025, with discussions potentially occurring as early as February 2024.
