This Public Holiday Policy can be used to minimise the risk of disputes around payments for public holidays where employees may not have been entitled to payment for the day. It can also be used to ensure that employees are aware that you may require them to work on a public holiday.

Use this Policy if:

• You want to provide clarity around how public holidays interact with working days, non-working days and leave;
• You need to protect your Company from unnecessary disputes regarding non-payment for a public holiday, where an employee is not entitled to payment;
• You want employees to feel comfortable requesting time off to observe religious or cultural holidays which may not fall on a public holiday; and
• You need to clarify the payroll process for public holidays.

What does this Policy cover?

• Interaction of public holidays with a non-working day;
• Interaction of public holidays with a day of paid leave;
• Working on public holidays;
• Requesting time off to observe a religious or cultural holiday that does not fall on a public holiday; and
• Payroll process for public holidays.

Further information:

• When are employees entitled to paid breaks?
• Is it legal to open my business on public holidays?
• What types of paid leave are full-time employees entitled to?
• Do casual employees have leave entitlements?
• Leave Policy
• Employee Handbook