As the summer approaches, and with several public holidays on the horizon, it’s crucial for both employers and employees in New Zealand to be well-versed in leave entitlements. Here’s a quick “employment over the holiday period” refresher to guide you through the upcoming holiday season.
Annual Leave:
All employees, regardless of their employment type, are entitled to a minimum of four weeks of paid annual holidays after completing twelve months of continuous employment with the same employer.
Public Holidays:
Employees can enjoy up to eleven public holidays each year. If a public holiday is also a regular working day for an employee, then they’re entitled to a paid day off. “Regular working day” doesn’t specifically mean contracted days, instead it’s related to the employee’s patterns of work. Employees that do work on a public holiday are compensated with pay at a time and a half rate, plus an alternative day off.
Many public holidays are subject to “Mondayisation” or “Tuesdayisation” if they fall on a weekend. Employment New Zealand has a table of the public holidays for 2023 and 2024 here.
Sick Leave and Bereavement Leave:
After six months of continuous employment with the same employer, employees may start to apply for sick leave and bereavement leave.
Employer Obligations:
It is the employer’s responsibility to inform employees about their leave entitlements under the Holidays Act 2003. This must be clearly outlined in their employment agreements.
Close-down Periods:
Businesses with close-down periods may have public holidays included in that close-down – particularly over the Christmas and New Year period. Employees are still entitled to a paid public holiday if they would have normally worked on that day had the close-down not been in effect.
Compliance with these leave entitlements fosters a positive work environment and helps both employers and employees enjoy a well-deserved break during the holiday season. For more detailed information and examples, you can refer to Employment New Zealand’s Holidays page, the Holidays Act 2003 or get in touch.
A well-informed workforce is a productive and satisfied one. Wishing everyone a fantastic and relaxing holiday season!
