Public holidays during a close-down period
The Holidays Amendment Act 2010 clarifies entitlements to public holidays, alternative holidays, sick leave and bereavement leave that fall during a close-down period.
If a business has a closedown period that includes public holidays (as can happen over the Christmas and New Year period) then the employee is entitled to paid public holidays if they would be otherwise working days for them, taking the factors in section 12 of the Act into account as if the closedown were not in effect. Just as if a public holiday falls during a period of annual holidays, the employee is entitled to a paid public holiday if it is otherwise a working day for them.