Christmas and New Year 2011/12
Employees are entitled to up to four public holidays over the festive season, depending on their work or shift pattern.
This year Christmas Day (25 December) and New Year’s Day (1 January) fall on a Sunday. Boxing Day (26 December) and the day after New Year’s Day (2 January) fall on a Monday.
Monday to Friday workers
As Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on a Sunday, the holiday is transferred to the following Tuesday (27 December and 3 January).
Boxing Day and the day after New Year’s Day will be observed on the days they fall (Monday 26 December and Monday 2 January).
Weekend workers
If you or your employees would normally work on the Sunday that Christmas Day and New Year’s Day fall on this year, the public holiday is observed on the day it falls (Sunday 25 December and Sunday 1 January). This means the employee is entitled to that day off on pay.
Casual and on-call workers
There will be differences for these workers in when the public holidays are observed. A holidays online tool has been developed on our website, which can be used to work out employee entitlements. You will need to work out your normal working days first, by using the Department’s otherwise working day calculator.
Note: An employee cannot be entitled to more than four public holidays over the Christmas and New Year period, regardless of their work pattern.
Transferring public holidays
Following the Holidays Amendment Act 2010 an employer and employee can now agree to transfer a public holiday from the day listed in the Holidays Act 2003 to another day. This must be at the agreement of the employee and the employer and must be made in writing.
For more information on transferring public holidays, or on employee entitlements during Christmas and New Year please contact the Department on 0800 20 90 20.