Latest news with #WhitSunday
Local Germany
21-05-2025
- Health
- Local Germany
Everything that changes in Germany in June 2025
Maternity protection in the event of miscarriage Starting from the beginning of June, women who suffer a miscarriage from the 13th week of pregnancy are entitled to maternity protection, or Mutterschutz. Affected women are set to receive paid maternity leave from work to recover from the physical and mental stress caused by the event. The duration of the leave entitlement depends on the timing of the miscarriage. For instance, someone who loses a pregnancy from the 13th week would be entitled to two weeks of Mutterschutz, while a loss from the 17th week would give six weeks of protection. Women who suffer a miscarriage from the 20th week would be entitled to eight weeks of paid time away from work. Prior to June 1st, 2025, those affected by pregnancy loss had to request sick leave with a doctor's approval to take time away from work. READ ALSO: Mutterschutz - Germany's plans to extend maternity paid leave following miscarriage Changing electricity providers to happen within 24 hours Starting June 6th, if you change electricity providers in Germany the switch is to take place within 24 hours. This comes as the result of an EU directive that is intended to increase competition, according to the Lower Saxony Consumer Advice Centre. However, the notice period of your current contract remains in place. Going forward, retroactive registrations, as may be the case in the event of a move, will no longer be possible. READ ALSO: How to reduce your household electricity bill in Germany this year Germany marks Whit Monday June 9th is a national public holiday this year, as Germany marks Pfingstmontag , or Whit Monday. Whit Monday immediately follows Whit Sunday, or Pentecost, which comes 50 days after Easter. Many Christians attend a special church service on this weekend, and the holiday is also celebrated with spring fun fairs. You can also expect to see large wreaths ( Pfingstenkranz ) on display in some regions. TV cameras are seen in Osnabrück Cathedral during mass. The Whit Monday service here is televised. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Friso Gentsch As with all national holidays, most workers have the day off and you should expect most businesses to be closed. READ ALSO: How employees in Germany can make the most of public holidays in 2025 Germany honours members of the Bundeswehr on National Veterans' Day On June 15th, the veterans of the Bundeswehr are to be honoured for the first time at a national Veterans' Day service. The central celebration is set to take place in front of the Reichstag in Berlin, and there are other events in other cities. Germany's Veterans' Day was formally introduced last year, but this year marks the first time service members will be honoured on the day. A veteran of the Bundeswehr is considered to be someone who is in active service as a soldier of the German Army or has honourably retired from duty. Advertisement Mandatory gas checks for caravans and motorhomes Anyone who owns a motorhome or caravan with a liquefied gas system must provide proof of an up-to-date expert check starting June 19th. The new requirement comes as an amendment to the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) and is intended to ensure fewer accidents related to heating, cooling and cooking in camper vans. New EU rules for smartphones From June 20th, new EU-level design requirements for smartphones and other cordless phones come into force. Advertisement New phones on the market in Europe will need to meet a minimum level of durability, their batteries should still have a capacity of 80 percent after at least 800 charging cycles, and manufacturers must provide spare parts up to seven years after sales have stopped, according to the new regulations. The EU directive aims to decrease the waste involved with smartphone use, by ensuring that the devices last longer and are more easily repairable. This follows a previous EU law which required new phones on the European market to be compatible with a standard USB-C charger. Summer break begins in some German states For millions of students, the school year is comes to an end in June. Children and students in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia are the first to start their summer holidays – their last day of school is June 27th. As always, Bavaria will be the last federal state to start the summer break, as last as August 1st. A street artist entertains vacationers with huge soap bubbles. Summer break begins at the end of June for some states this year. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Büttner Summer break for German schools usually lasts about six weeks, with pupils in the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia returning to class on August 11th this year. Advertisement More accessibility in online retail From June 28th, online retailers are required to offer their portals barrier-free for people with disabilities. This requirement is brought by the Accessibility Strengthening Act, and it applies to banking services or the apps and websites of transport companies, among others. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments section below.
Local France
09-05-2025
- Local France
French rail union calls for more strike action in June
The French union, CGT-Chéminots, the largest trade union representing workers at France's national rail service, SNCF, has called for more strike action for the start of June. CGT-Chéminots called for "all railway workers, in all sectors, to take part in strike action" on June 4th, 5th and 11th, BFMTV reported. The strike announcement came the same week as the May 8th (VE Day) public holiday, when multiple French unions staged rail strikes which affected both local and high-speed trains. How severe will disruption be? It is not yet clear how much disruption will be caused by the June strikes, as striking transport workers are only required to give their intention to strike 48 hours in advance. The strikes at the start of the week containing May 8th were not nearly as disruptive as initially expected, with the main impacts felt on local and regional trains, particularly those in the Paris area. Advertisement That said, it remains to be seen how many rail workers will walk out at the start of June. There is a possibility that the action planned for June 5th could be more disruptive than the May industrial action, as rail workers across sectors have been called to participate. According to French daily Ouest France, the strike action on June 4th will involve train drivers, and the action scheduled for June 11th would be for ticket inspectors. The June industrial action will also be close in timing to the June 9th public holiday (Whit Sunday, or Pentecôte ) which is another popular time for people in France to travel for long weekends. Why more strikes? The union is calling for strike action to "force management to agree to negotiations that meet our demands", which include pay rises and improved working conditions.
North Wales Chronicle
01-05-2025
- Business
- North Wales Chronicle
UK Bank Holiday dates and how many there are left in 2025
Typically across the UK, you get eight days if you live in England and Wales, nine if you live in Scotland and 10 if you live in Northern Ireland. There are two upcoming in May, with a handful still left in 2025. Here is when Brits can look forward to some time off in May and for the remainder of the year. There are two bank holidays to look forward to in May. The first is on May 5, which is the Early May bank holiday. The second is later in the month, on May 26, which is the Spring Bank Holiday. The Spring Bank Holiday was originally called Whit Monday, which was the Monday after the Christian holiday of Whit Sunday, or Pentecost. Whit Monday is a Christian celebration that takes place 50 days after Easter Sunday, and marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. It used to be observed at the start of June, but was replaced with the Spring bank holiday in the UK in 1971 by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, after a trial period by the Government from 1965 to 1970. 🚨 UK-wide bank holiday reminder Monday 5 May is the Early May bank holiday 🌼 Rather than the beginning of June, it is now held on the last Monday of May. The remaining bank holidays in 2024 vary between nations. The dates in England and Wales for 2025 are: In Scotland, the remaining bank holidays in 2025 are: Recommended reading: There were suggestions that Brits may have gotten an extra bank holiday this year. The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day falls on May 8, which will see millions of people remember the moment Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender was accepted by the Allies in 1945. However, while celebrations are being very much encouraged across the UK, the event will not be a bank holiday.
Rhyl Journal
01-05-2025
- Business
- Rhyl Journal
UK Bank Holiday dates and how many there are left in 2025
Typically across the UK, you get eight days if you live in England and Wales, nine if you live in Scotland and 10 if you live in Northern Ireland. There are two upcoming in May, with a handful still left in 2025. Here is when Brits can look forward to some time off in May and for the remainder of the year. There are two bank holidays to look forward to in May. The first is on May 5, which is the Early May bank holiday. The second is later in the month, on May 26, which is the Spring Bank Holiday. The Spring Bank Holiday was originally called Whit Monday, which was the Monday after the Christian holiday of Whit Sunday, or Pentecost. Whit Monday is a Christian celebration that takes place 50 days after Easter Sunday, and marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. It used to be observed at the start of June, but was replaced with the Spring bank holiday in the UK in 1971 by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, after a trial period by the Government from 1965 to 1970. 🚨 UK-wide bank holiday reminder Monday 5 May is the Early May bank holiday 🌼 Rather than the beginning of June, it is now held on the last Monday of May. The remaining bank holidays in 2024 vary between nations. The dates in England and Wales for 2025 are: In Scotland, the remaining bank holidays in 2025 are: Recommended reading: There were suggestions that Brits may have gotten an extra bank holiday this year. The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day falls on May 8, which will see millions of people remember the moment Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender was accepted by the Allies in 1945. However, while celebrations are being very much encouraged across the UK, the event will not be a bank holiday.
Leader Live
01-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
UK Bank Holiday dates and how many there are left in 2025
Typically across the UK, you get eight days if you live in England and Wales, nine if you live in Scotland and 10 if you live in Northern Ireland. There are two upcoming in May, with a handful still left in 2025. Here is when Brits can look forward to some time off in May and for the remainder of the year. There are two bank holidays to look forward to in May. The first is on May 5, which is the Early May bank holiday. The second is later in the month, on May 26, which is the Spring Bank Holiday. The Spring Bank Holiday was originally called Whit Monday, which was the Monday after the Christian holiday of Whit Sunday, or Pentecost. Whit Monday is a Christian celebration that takes place 50 days after Easter Sunday, and marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. It used to be observed at the start of June, but was replaced with the Spring bank holiday in the UK in 1971 by the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971, after a trial period by the Government from 1965 to 1970. 🚨 UK-wide bank holiday reminder Monday 5 May is the Early May bank holiday 🌼 Rather than the beginning of June, it is now held on the last Monday of May. The remaining bank holidays in 2024 vary between nations. The dates in England and Wales for 2025 are: In Scotland, the remaining bank holidays in 2025 are: Recommended reading: There were suggestions that Brits may have gotten an extra bank holiday this year. The 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day falls on May 8, which will see millions of people remember the moment Nazi Germany's unconditional surrender was accepted by the Allies in 1945. However, while celebrations are being very much encouraged across the UK, the event will not be a bank holiday.
