Christmas and New Year public holidays are provided for under the Holidays Act 2003. The holidays are Christmas Day (25 December), Boxing Day (26 December), New Year's Day and the day after (1 and 2 January). Employees are entitled to a paid public holiday if the holiday falls on a day they would normally work.

How Christmas and New Year holidays are observed

Employees can be entitled to four public holidays over the Christmas and New Year period, depending on their work pattern. This year Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on a Saturday, and Boxing Day and the day after New Years Day fall on a Sunday. There are special rules for the observance of the Christmas and New Year public holidays if they fall on the weekend.

For employees who normally work on a Saturday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day are observed on that day. For employees who normally do not work on a Saturday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day are transferred to the following Monday (27 December 2010 and 3 January 2011).

For employees who normally work on a Sunday, Boxing Day and the 2nd of January are observed on that day. For employees who normally do not work on Sunday, Boxing Day and 2nd of January are transferred to the following Tuesday (28 December 2010 and 4 January 2011).

Examples of how the 2010/11 holiday entitlements work for some common working arrangements are outlined below:

• Employees who normally work Monday to Friday
• Employees who normally work Wednesday to Sunday and are required to work
• Employees who normally work Tuesday to Saturday
• Employees who normally work Friday to Tuesday

An employee cannot be entitled to more than four public holidays over the Christmas and New Year period, regardless of their work pattern.

Further information

Use our Holidays Online Tool to work out employee entitlements for public holidays.

More detailed information is available on:

• Public holidays - general entitlements
• Alternative Holidays for employees who work on public holidays
• Entitlement for employees working shifts or on call
• Entitlements for employees working shifts that cross midnight
• Regular annual closedowns
• Payment for public holidays
• Calculating payment for public holidays - "relevant daily pay"

View all FAQs on Public Holidays

(SOURCE: Department of Labour (information up to date as of 30th September) retrieved from www.ers.dol.govt.nz on 7th October 2010)