Silly Season – Public Holidays
With the ‘silly season’ in full swing, everyone is excited to lock up the office, head to the beach or even overseas; along with this, comes the Holidays Act and questions around the Public Holidays and employee entitlements.
Make sure you’re prepared for your Christmas payroll to ensure you are providing your team with their correct entitlements.
Public Holidays:
This silly season, all of the Christmas and New Year holidays fall on weekends, even if your Employee doesn’t usually work weekends, they will likely still be entitled to these holidays through Mondayisation.
Sunday, 25 December (observed Monday, 27 December): Christmas Day
Monday, 26 December: Boxing Day
Sunday, 1 January (observed Tuesday, 3 January): New Year’s Day
Monday, 2 January: Day after New Year’s Day
You must recognise Public Holidays for the Christmas - New Year period, on different days, depending on the Employee.
Things to remember:
If a Public Holiday falls inside your annual shutdown period, then you are still required to pay Employees for the days they would usually work
You must give Employees 14 days’ notice of your annual shutdown
If it is unclear what the Employee’s normal working days are, then consider the following factors:
Their Employment Agreement – are they casual or permanent?
Their work patterns – e.g. rosters
What are your reasonable expectations that the Employee would work on the day concerned?
If you have any questions regarding holiday pay and entitlements, do give the team at People Passion a call on 0800 HRFORU!
Wishing you and your team a safe and joyful Christmas.
Sarah Lynch
HR Coordinator