Yahoo Finance Public holidays 2024 in Australia: Do I get a day off? And do I get paid?
The Easter long weekend is approaching - here's the days you get off.
Public holidays can give workers the chance to take the day off or, for others, make a little extra cash from a shift. So, which dates will many Australian businesses close down for public holidays in 2024?
The short answer is, it depends on where you live and what you do. The Easter long weekend is fast approaching, and it's ANZAC Day shortly after.
Here’s a state-by-state breakdown. But if you want to maximise your annual leave to turn nine days off into 27, check out our explainer here.
New South Wales
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, June 10 - King's Birthday
Monday, October 7 - Labour Day
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Queensland
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, May 6 - Labour Day
Wednesday, August 14 - Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane area only)
Monday, October 7 - King’s Birthday
Tuesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve (from 6.00pm to midnight)
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Victoria
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, June 10 - King's Birthday
TBC - Friday before AFL Grand Final (subject to AFL schedule)
Tuesday, November 5 - Melbourne Cup
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Western Australia
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, June 3 - Western Australia Day
Monday, September 23 - King's Birthday (some regional areas in WA hold the King's Birthday public holiday on a different date)
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Australian Capital Territory
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Monday, March 11 - Canberra Day
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, May 27 - Reconciliation Day
Monday, June 10 - King’s Birthday
Monday, October 7 - Labour Day
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Northern Territory
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, May 6 - May Day
Monday, June 10 - June public holiday
Monday, August 5 - Picnic Day
Tuesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve (from 7.00pm to midnight)
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Tuesday, December 31 - New Year's Eve (from 7.00pm to midnight)
South Australia
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Monday, March 11 - Adelaide Cup Day (subject to proclamation)
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, June 10 - King's Birthday
Monday, October 7 - Labour Day
Tuesday, December 24 - Christmas Eve (from 7.00pm to midnight)
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Proclamation Day public holiday/Boxing Day
Tuesday, December 31 - New Year's Eve (from 7.00pm to midnight)
Tasmania
Monday, January 1 - New Year's Day
Friday, January 26 - Australia Day
Monday, February 12 - Royal Hobart Regatta (only observed in certain areas of the state)
Monday, March 11 - Eight Hours Day
Friday, March 29 - Good Friday
Saturday, March 30 - Easter Saturday
Sunday, March 31 - Easter Sunday
Monday, April 1 - Easter Monday
Thursday, April 25 - Anzac Day
Monday, June 10 - King's Birthday
Monday, November 4 - Recreation Day (areas of the state that don’t observe Royal Hobart Regatta)
Wednesday, December 25 - Christmas Day
Thursday, December 26 - Boxing Day
Do I have to work on public holidays?
The Fair Work Ombudsman states employees should be given the choice to work on a public holiday or not. Employers can request for an employee to work on a public holiday but the request has to be reasonable.
An employee can refuse a request to work if the employee has reasonable grounds, or the request is unreasonable. When deciding if an employee will be rostered to work on a public holiday, the Fair Work Ombudsman states employers should consider:
the nature of the workplace
the role and type of work of the employee does
employee’s personal circumstances (including caring responsibilities)
employment status (full-time, part-time or casual)
an expectation that they might be asked to work on the public holiday
any overtime, penalty rates or other payment the employee might receive
the amount of notice provided
any other relevant factor
An employer can require an employee to work a public holiday if they have made a reasonable request or an employee has unreasonably refused that request.
Do I get paid for public holidays if I don’t work?
This will all depend on your contract but generally speaking, employees who normally work on a day a public holiday falls out should be paid their base rate for the ordinary hours even if they are taking the day off. This does not include bonuses, loadings, overtime or penalty rates.
What if I am on leave for a public holiday, do I need to take that day as leave?
That depends if it’s paid or unpaid.
If you’re sick, and you’ve taken a day off on a public holiday, that day should not be a leave day. It should be paid as a public holiday (if that’s what your contract states).
“The public holiday isn't counted as annual leave or sick leave. This means that the public holiday hours will not be taken away from the employee's amount of built-up paid leave,” Fair Work states.
But if an employee rostered on to work on a public holiday on a day they don’t normally work, and they call in sick, they should not get paid for that day.
What if I am on unpaid leave? Do I get public holiday pay?
An employee isn’t paid for public holidays during unpaid leave periods, including carer’s leave, parental leave or community service leave.
If you’re on long service leave, you’d need to check state or territory long service leave legislation. If you’re on unpaid parental leave and taking annual leave, you won’t be paid for the public holiday.
If I work a public holiday, am I entitled to penalty rates?
That all depends on your award, enterprise agreement or other registered agreement. They generally stipulate what entitlements you could get for working a public holiday.
If in doubt, you can ask your human resources department, or payroll.
Some entitlements include:
extra pay, like public holiday rates
an extra day off or extra annual leave
minimum shift lengths on public holidays
agreeing to substitute a public holiday for another day.
You can find out more about your award wage here.
Follow Yahoo Finance on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter, and subscribe to our free daily newsletter.
