May's Hidden Cost: Why Your Vacation Pay Takes a Hit

Thinking of taking your main holiday in May? A leading HR expert suggests you might want to check the calendar first. Yulia Sanina, Director of Personnel at Rabota.ru, points out a financial quirk that makes May a less lucrative month for time off.

The issue is simple mathematics: vacation pay is calculated based on your average daily earnings. With May packed with public holidays, there are fewer actual working days in the month. This drives down the average, resulting in a smaller payout for your time away. "If you want a higher payment, it's more advantageous to pick months with more working days, like July," Sanina explained in comments to Gazeta.ru.

The calendar for 2026 illustrates the point perfectly. Official holidays are split into two three-day blocks (May 1-3 and May 9-11), with April 30 and May 8 as shortened workdays. Clever planning can string together up to 11 days off, but the financial penalty remains.

This calculation may influence plans for many. Recent surveys indicate roughly 40% of Russians intend to spend the May holidays visiting family or at their country homes. Short domestic trips, often within 300 kilometers, are also a popular choice. For those budgeting carefully, the month of rest comes with a clear, if overlooked, trade-off.