Easter and Anzac Day
08 April 2022Public Holidays
- April 15 - Good Friday
- April 18 - Easter Monday
- April 25 – ANZAC Day
The above are public holidays, but Easter Sunday is not.
Entitlements
Entitlements are straight forward this year because Anzac Day doesn't fall on a Saturday or Sunday.
If the public holiday concerned falls on a day the employee would otherwise work, then:
- If they do work they get paid the appropriate portion of their relevant daily pay, plus half that amount again; and an alternative holiday on pay at a later date.
- If they do not work they get paid their relevant daily pay.
If the day in question is a day the employee would NOT otherwise work, they observe the holiday but are not entitled to any payment.
Otherwise a Working Day
For employees with a fixed work pattern, it is easy to decide whether a particular day would otherwise be a working day for an employee.
Where it is not clear, the employer is required to take into account a number of factors such as the employment agreement, the employee’s work patterns and other relevant factors such as the roster, the reasonable expectations of the employer and the employee that the employee would work on the day concerned and whether, but for the day being a public holiday, the employee would have worked on the day concerned.
As a guide, note that the Holidays Act taskforce recommendations provide that if an employee has worked on 50% or more of the corresponding days in either the previous 4 or 13 weeks, then the day will be considered otherwise a working day.
Matariki
The Bill has had its Third Reading and will come into force the day after Royal Assent, which should be in time for 24 June. The day of observance does change from year to year – it’s 14 July next year - but will always be a Friday.
If you require further information please contact – Tony 021 920 323, Justine 021 920 410, or Michelle 021 993 735.