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- Salary timing for the New Year: when will the salary be calculated in December and January
Salary timing for the New Year: when will the salary be calculated in December and January
In December 2025, the terms of payment of wages are regulated by Article 136 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation. If the established payment day coincides with the New Year holidays, the salary must be transferred no later than December 30, the last working day before the holidays. This date is mandatory for all employers, regardless of the payment system and shift schedules. About the specifics of accrual and payment of earnings in January 2026, the rules for postponing payments on public holidays, in the Izvestia article.
Salary payments in December 2025: what are the deadlines?
It is considered that if the payment day set by the employer falls during the New Year holidays, the transfer of wages for December must be made no later than December 30, the last working day before the start of the holidays. Such requirements follow from article 136 of the Labor Code, which prescribes the postponement of the date to the next working day if it coincides with a holiday.
There are 22 working days in December 2025, 11 in each half of the month. This allows organizations to calculate the accrual schedule in advance and avoid delays. Experts emphasize that planning payments for the end of the year requires increased accounting attention, since the holiday period has a heavy workload and the risk of error is higher than usual.
— The deadline for salary payment for December is the last working day before the holidays, — said State Duma Deputy Nikita Chaplin in an interview with Izvestia.
Salary schedule and legal rules for payments before the holidays
According to the norms of labor legislation, each organization must fix the payment dates in a collective agreement, local regulatory act or other internal document. It is important for the employer to take into account that the postponement of the payment day is allowed only towards an earlier date if the original date falls on a weekend or holiday. This rule applies regardless of the remuneration system and industry specifics.
Experts remind you that long holiday periods are the most common reason for adjustments to the accrual schedule. The New Year holidays of 2025-2026 will last from December 31 to January 11 inclusive.
— Those who are used to payments from the 1st to the 11th of each month will receive these payments in advance. Wages will be paid no later than December 30," Svetlana Bessarab, a member of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy and Veterans' Affairs, told Izvestia.
Salary payment in January 2026: how will the amount of charges change?
The issue of the salary for January annually causes a lot of complaints, since the number of working days has been reduced due to the holiday period. MP Nikita Chaplin stressed that employees with a salary system will not face a reduction in payments in January.
— The advance payment for the first half of January may actually be less than usual, since it is paid only a few business days in advance. However, with the final settlement at the end of the month, this is fully compensated," Chaplin said.
It is noted that, in accordance with Article 112 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, holidays cannot be grounds for salary reduction.
Average January salary: expectations and calculations
The amount of payments can be determined using the usual formula: the amount of salary after personal income tax deduction is divided by the number of working days of the month and multiplied by the days actually worked. So, with a salary of 100 thousand rubles, an employee will receive an advance of about 29,411 rubles.
New Year's holidays are not a reason to reduce earnings. Therefore, in early February, the employee will receive his full January salary. In the example with a salary of 100 thousand rubles, the second part of the payment will be approximately 70,588 rubles.
In January, special rules for paying for business trips and shifts that fall on public holidays also apply. Work from December 29 to January 8 is paid in double amount. Instead of a double rate, an employee can choose a regular payment and arrange time off according to the number of holiday hours worked.
For those who were on a business trip during the New Year holidays, but did not perform work tasks, payment is made in the standard manner. If you had to work during the holidays, these days are paid in double the amount. The daily allowance — 800 rubles per day — is charged for the entire period of the trip, regardless of whether the employee worked during the holidays or not.
What is important for employees and employers to consider before the New Year
The explanations provided by the State Duma and the Ministry of Labor form a clear algorithm of actions for all participants in labor relations. Employers should update local regulatory documents in advance, check the payment dates, and communicate them to employees.
Employees, in turn, are advised to check with the organization's accounting department whether the December or January payment is postponed, and whether the amount of the advance will be changed.
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