You need to understand the concept of a calendar day to properly manage work time and leave. We will explore this concept and its implications in the professional world in detail.
What is a calendar day?
A calendar day corresponds to every day on the calendar, without exception. It includes workable/working days, business days, public holidays and weekly rest days. Unlike business days, which only count from Monday to Friday, calendar days encompass all 7 days of the week, including weekends. This concept is crucial for calculating leave and legal deadlines.
Calendar days make no distinction between worked and non-worked days. Whether it’s a working Monday or a restful Sunday, each day counts as a calendar day. This inclusive definition plays a significant role in various aspects of professional life, particularly for calculating allowances or the duration of contracts.
What is the difference between calendar, business and working days?
The distinction between calendar, business, and working days is fundamental in labor law. Working days correspond to all days of the week, except for the weekly rest day (usually Sunday) and public holidays that are not typically worked. In most cases, working days are therefore the 6 days from Monday to Saturday.
Business days, on the other hand, are limited to the days actually worked in the company, typically from Monday to Friday for a total of 5 days per week.
This differentiation directly impacts the calculation of paid time off. For example, if an employee takes 5 days of leave in business days, this will be equivalent to 7 calendar days if a weekend is included.
- Calendar day count: A day of leave is deducted, even for a public holiday included in the period of absence.
- Business day count: No leave day is deducted for a public holiday included in the period of absence.
You must keep these nuances in mind for fair leave management. My Intranet HRIS software handles these aspects natively. This ensures precise management that complies with legal requirements.
| Characteristic | Calendar Day | Business Day | Working Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| Definition | All days of the year, without exception. | Days actually worked in the company (often Monday to Friday). | All days of the week, except the weekly rest day (usually Sunday). |
| Days included | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays. | Typically Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. | Typically Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday (excluding public holidays). |
| Number per week (typical) | 7 days | 5 days | 6 days |
| Application Examples | Sick leave calculation Maternity/paternity leave Unpaid leave Notice period duration (by default) Legal deadlines (withdrawal, statute of limitations) | Paid time off calculation (often) Actual work days | Paid time off calculation (another common method) |
| Impact on public holidays | A day is deducted even if it’s a public holiday included in the absence period. | A non-worked public holiday is not counted as a deducted day. | A non-worked public holiday is not counted as a deducted day. |
Which types of leave are counted in calendar days?
Certain types of leave are specifically counted in calendar days:
- sick leave;
- maternity leave;
- paternity leave;
- adoption leave;
- unpaid leave;
- Certain special leaves provided for by the collective bargaining agreement;
- unpaid absences (unjustified absence).
In this case, the calculation includes all days of the week, including Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays.
These rules have a significant impact on the effective duration of absences. For example, an absence of 7 calendar days will correspond to only 5 business days, which can influence the calculation of benefits or deductions for absence.
The notice period in calendar days
Unless otherwise specified in the collective bargaining agreement, the notice period following a termination or resignation is by default expressed in calendar days. Therefore, all days are counted from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays. Thus, if the notice period is one month and the date of the resignation notice is July 15, the notice period ends on August 14. Note that the length of the notice period is set by law, the collective bargaining agreement, or even the employment contract. It often depends on the employee’s status (e.g., technician, manager, executive, etc.).
How many calendar days are in a month?
The number of calendar days per month varies depending on the month. Most months have 31 calendar days, while others have 30. February is a special case with 28 days, or 29 in leap years. This variation can have significant implications, especially for calculating monthly salaries or daily allowances.
A one-month leave will not always correspond to the same number of calendar days, depending on the chosen month.
| Month | Number of days |
|---|---|
| January | 31 |
| February | 28 (29 in leap years) |
| March | 31 |
| April | 30 |
| May | 31 |
| June | 30 |
| July | 31 |
| August | 31 |
| September | 30 |
| October | 31 |
| November | 30 |
| December | 31 |
How many calendar days are in a year?
A year usually has 365 calendar days. However, during leap years, which occur every four years, this number increases to 366 days. This one-day difference may seem minimal, but it can have significant implications in certain contexts.
The number of business or working days per year is considerably lower than the number of calendar days. On average, a year has about 252 business days (not counting public holidays) and 312 working days. This difference illustrates the importance of clearly distinguishing these concepts, particularly when calculating paid time off or planning human resources in the long term. With My Intranet HRIS, you can calculate the impact of each absence in calendar days thanks to our leave software.
