2024 Morocco calendar: all important dates to know

The strategic importance of the annual schedule for HR and employees

In the dynamic world of business in Morocco, time management is not just a matter of organization, it is a true performance lever. Whether you are a human resources manager looking to anticipate absenteeism rates or an employee wishing to optimize their leave, having clear visibility on the 2024 calendar is essential. The structure of our civil year, marked by religious and national events, sets the rhythm of the Kingdom’s economic life. This is all the more true in the industrial sector where service continuity often has to juggle with family requirements and traditional holidays.

Beyond simple logistics, these key dates mark necessary breathing times for team well-being. Good anticipation also allows companies to plan for periods of high activity or, conversely, seasonal slowdowns. For example, certain agricultural sectors must align their workforce with specific periods, an economic reality reflected when analyzing how Morocco breaks records in lemon exports, requiring perfect synchronization between working days and available labor.

Religious holidays: A lunar calendar to watch closely

The peculiarity of our Moroccan calendar lies in the coexistence of the Gregorian calendar and the Hijri calendar. Religious holidays, based on moon observation, require some flexibility from both employers and employees. For the year 2024, these moments of spirituality and family sharing have, as always, shifted by about ten days compared to the previous year. This is a crucial fact for organizing on-call or production schedules.

These periods often mean travel for employees who join their families. It is also the time when some take advantage to travel abroad, checking for example the procedures to obtain a visa for Russia or other destinations popular among Moroccans. Here is a summary of the major dates that marked this spiritual year.

Summary table of religious public holidays 2024 🌙

National and civil holidays: The fixed pillars of the year

Unlike religious celebrations, national holidays offer fixed landmarks that greatly facilitate anticipation. These dates are an opportunity to celebrate the Kingdom’s history and its advances. For payroll managers and planners, these days are “carved in stone” and allow structuring possible bridge days that promote domestic tourism. Enjoying a long weekend to visit iconic places such as the Bouregreg Marina in Salé is a common practice that boosts the local economy.

In 2024, these days enabled many strategic breaks. It is interesting to note that these paid holidays are strictly regulated by the Moroccan labor code, ensuring employees’ rights while maintaining national productivity. Here are the must-know dates that punctuated the year:

• 🎆 New Year: Monday, January 1
• 📜 Independence Manifesto: Thursday, January 11
• 🛠️ Labor Day: Wednesday, May 1
• 👑 Throne Day: Tuesday, July 30
• immo Oued Eddahab Allegiance: Wednesday, August 14
• ✊ Revolution of the King and the People: Tuesday, August 20
• 🎂 Youth Day: Wednesday, August 21
• 🚶 Green March: Wednesday, November 6
• 🇲🇦 Independence Day: Monday, November 18

School holidays and impact on work organization

For working parents, the rhythm of school holidays is the true metronome of the year. The Ministry of National Education publishes a precise calendar every year which often dictates employees’ leave periods. Ignoring these dates risks facing teams with unplanned understaffing. In 2024, the system of intermediate vacations continued to prevail, offering regular breaks every six to seven weeks of teaching.

This synchronization is vital. When schools close, leave requests skyrocket. It is also a pivotal period to prepare the future of one’s children. Many parents take advantage of these moments to inquire about future administrative procedures, such as tips to successfully register at MEN for the following semester. Good HR management consists of anticipating these waves of requests to ensure business continuity.

Planning your career according to the calendar

The calendar is not only a leave management tool; it is also an ally for career management. Back-to-school periods (September and January) are traditionally conducive to new opportunities. Observing the 2024 cycles, we notice that many professionals use public holidays to update their CV or prepare interviews. If you are targeting positions in the public or health sector, monitoring announcements such as the recruitment at CHU Casa is essential to position yourself at the right time.

Similarly, for those considering a career change or an entrepreneurial project, the slow periods related to holidays can be used for training or market research. Knowing how to juggle these important dates allows transforming passive time into useful time for professional development.

Maximizing “Bridge Days”: A win-win strategy? 🌉

The year 2024 offered several possibilities for “bridge days,” these working days sandwiched between two public holidays. For companies, anticipating these bridges by granting them or organizing compensations can be an excellent motivation tool. It avoids “sporadic” absenteeism and allows everyone to enjoy extended rest periods. It is a strategy increasingly adopted by industrial groups concerned about their social climate.

How many public holidays were there in total in Morocco in 2024?

In Morocco, the calendar generally counts about 13 to 15 paid public holidays per year, distributed between fixed national holidays and movable religious holidays whose duration may vary (often 2 days for major holidays).

How are the dates of religious holidays determined?

The dates of religious holidays like Aïd Al Fitr or Aïd Al Adha are based on the lunar Hijri calendar. They are officially confirmed only the day before, after the observation of the lunar crescent by the competent religious authorities (Ministry of Habous).

Is the school calendar the same for all regions?

Yes, the school holidays calendar is national and applies to all public and private institutions under the supervision of the Ministry of National Education, although schools of foreign missions may have slightly different calendars.

Are public holidays that fall on a weekend recoverable?

According to the Moroccan labor code, if a public holiday falls on a weekly day off (generally Sunday), it is not necessarily recoverable the next day, except by a collective agreement or specific company agreement that is more favorable.

Mehdi Abouhafs