PUBLIC HOLIDAY FALLS ON SATURDAY

How to work out pay and holiday entitlements for a calendar date public holiday falling on a Saturday.

Examples:

Christmas falls on Saturday – employee normally works Saturday

Sarah has a part-time job at a service station. She normally works on a Saturday and 25 December is a Saturday on this occasion. The service station opens on Christmas Day. The Christmas Day public holiday won’t be Mondayised for Sarah because 25 December is a normal working day for her and she will either get:

  • 25 December as a day off on her relevant daily pay or average daily pay, or
  • she can work on 25 December and be paid at a rate of at least time and a half for the hours she works and she will also get a paid alternative holiday (day in lieu).

If Sarah works on Monday 27 December, she:

  • would be paid for the hours she works at whatever rate she would normally be paid for working on a Monday, and
  • would not receive an alternative holiday (day in lieu) for working on Monday 27 December because this is just a normal Monday for Sarah.

Christmas falls on Saturday – employee works Monday to Friday

Pita also works at the service station. He works full-time and normally works Monday to Friday. 25 December is a Saturday which is not a normal working day for Pita, so the Christmas Day holiday is Mondayised for him. He will either:

  • have Monday as a day off on his relevant daily pay or average daily pay or
  • he can work on Monday and get at least time and a half for the hours he works and also get a paid alternative holiday (day in lieu).

Pita will not get any payments (or alternative holiday) in relation to Saturday (25 December) unless he works on that day. If Pita did work on Saturday 25 December, because Saturday is not a normal working day for him, he would:

  • be paid for the hours he does at whatever rate he would be paid for any other Saturday he worked, and
  • not get an alternative holiday (day in lieu) for working on Saturday 25 December.

Pita’s employer should explain this to him before Pita agrees to work on 25 Decemeber, so that he understands that he won’t be paid at time and a half and won’t get an alternative holiday (day in lieu) for working on 25 December.

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Penny Varley

Payroll Administrator