What should I be paid on public holidays?

#yourquestionsanswered Answers to whether your employer has to give you a day in lieu if you work on a public holiday and more...

Working out what you're entitled to on a public holiday actually isn't nearly as confusing as people sometimes make it sound...

Who gets time and a half?

Every employee who works on a public holiday, for every hour worked. Even if you're casual.

Who gets a day in lieu?

You're entitled to a day in lieu if you work on a public holiday and its an 'otherwise working day' for you.

How many hours should a day in lieu be?

This should give you another full day off in the future, so it should be your normal day's worth of hours/pay.

What if I don't work on a public holiday?

If it's an 'otherwise working day' for you, your employer must pay you as if you'd worked (ie, your normal days pay).

What is an 'otherwise working day'?

A day that you would expect to work if it wasn't a public holiday. This applies even if the business is doing a festive season shutdown.

Note: Even if you're on a casual contract, if you have a pattern of work then public holidays may also fall on otherwise working days for you too.

If you don't get paid correctly, raise it with your employers!