Public Holidays:

The approved public holidays for 2006 in Queensland are:

Good Friday - Friday, 14 April 2006
Easter Saturday - Saturday, 15 April 2006
Easter Monday, Monday, 17 April 2006
Anzac Day, Tuesday, 25 April 2006
Labour Day, Monday, 1 May 2006

(Note:  Sunday, 16 April 2006 is NOT a public holiday)

Trading Hours:

Special trading hour's arrangements apply for retail shops over the Easter, Anzac and Labour Day periods.

Over the Easter period (Wednesday, 12 April 2006 to Wednesday, 19 April 2006) non-exempt shops are to remain closed on Friday, 14 April 2006 and only certain areas are allowed to trade on Sunday, 16 April 2006 and Monday, 17 April 2006. Independant retail shops are required to be closed until 1:00pm on Friday, 14 April 2006 (unless they are predominantly food and/or grocery stores).

On Anzac Day Tuesday, 25 April 2006 non-exempt shops are to remain closed whilst Independant retail shops are required to remain closed until 1:00pm (unless they are predominantly foo and/or grocery stores.

Non-exempt shops are to remain closed on Labour Day Monday, 1 May 2006, excluding hardware shops in some areas of the State. Independant Retail shops have unrestricted trading hours on this day.

For more details >> [PDF 47, kB] (You will need an Adobe Reader to view this document)

Entitlements of Employees:

In Queensland, the calculation of public holiday entitlements for employees can vary depending on whether or not they are covered by an award or agreement.

For further information on how to calculate holiday entitlements >>>

Overtime:

Some employers may open for extended trading hours over this period. Therefore employees may be required to work overtime to meet the requirements of the business. In such situations, relevant penalty rates may apply to employees directed to work.

Annual Leave:

Annual leave is exclusive of public holidays. Therefore any public holidays falling within a period of annual leave do not count as an annual leave day. The leave period is extended by the number of public holidays.

In some awards and agreements additional annual leave has been granted as compensation for not receiving penalty rates for work on specified public holidays. In these awards and agreements no extra paid days off must be added to a period of annual leave within which one of those specified public holidays have occurred.

The Act provides that where an employee is due annual leave and is subsequently terminated (whether by the employer or employee), the employee is entitled, from the date of termination, payment for all annual leave due to them and also their ordinary pay for any public holiday occurring during such period.

For further information on other public holiday general entitlements >>>

Rostered day off (RDO):

Many awards and agreements in Queensland provide for a substituted day off where a RDO falls on a public holiday.

Certain entitlements may or may not apply where a public holiday falls on a day or shift workers rostered day off. For example:

Day Workers:

Where day workers work a five day week Monday to Friday or a five and a half day week Monday to Saturday they are not entitled to any additional benefits should a public holiday fall on their day off or half-day off unless an award or agreement provides otherwise.

Some awards and agreements especially where there are 38 hour week and rostered day off arrangements may have compensating provisions.

Shift Workers:

Where a shift workers' rostered day off is outside their ordinary work week they are not entitled to any additional payment or benefit should a public holiday fall on their day off, unless there is a specific provision made in an award or agreement.

Many awards provide that if a public holiday falls on a day on which a shift worker is rostered off, an extra day shall be added to annual leave or some similar compensating provision.

Alternative Pay Arrangements:

Certain awards and agreements provide for alternative pay arrangements. By agreement in writing between the employer and the employee, ordinary hours worked by full-time and part-time employees may be paid at the rate of time and a-half for time worked on a public holiday and the employee shall receive either time off with pay equivalent to the time worked, or have an equivalent amount of time added to that employee's annual leave. Where equivalent time off with pay is taken, such time shall be taken at a mutually agreeable time within 28 days of its accrual. Outstanding accrued time shall be paid in full at the time of termination, for any reason by either party.

Annual Close Down:

An employer may wish to close down their business operations for a period of time around Christmas. Some awards and agreements do make specific provision regarding annual closedown (also known as stand down), however, where there is no such provision, the following options are open to employers:

• For employees (excluding casuals) with annual leave due, the employees would be paid annual leave for the period of the closure (in addition to payment for public holidays). The employer is required to give notice as prescribed by the Act or by the relevant award or agreement (the latter if it includes such a provision).
  
  
• For employees (excluding casuals) who do not have annual leave due, the employer could, by mutual agreement, grant annual leave in advance.

Needing Assistance?

If you need assistance with information about an award or agreement, what entitlements are applicable on a public holiday, or any other industrial relations matter arising over the Christmas/New Year period, contact Wageline.