Source: Employment New Zealand
This year New Zealanders will commemorate Anzac Day whilst we are at Alert Level 4 to fight against COVID-19.
Essential businesses operating on this public holiday still need to meet their legal requirements.
When is Anzac Day 2020 observed?
Anzac Day falls on Saturday 25 April 2020 and is ‘Mondayised’ to Monday 27 April. This means that Anzac Day is observed either on Saturday or Monday, depending on employees’ work patterns.
For Anzac Day 2020, ‘Mondayisation’ only happens if the employee doesn’t normally work on a Saturday. For those that normally work on a Saturday, there is no Mondayisation for them and their public holiday benefits apply to that Saturday. If employees normally work on both Monday and Saturday, they can only get the public holiday benefits on one day – either Saturday or Monday.
Public holidays falling on a weekend
Restricted shop trading days
Under the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990, all shops must be closed until 1:00 pm on Anzac Day. Exceptions are shops which can open with conditions or have area exemptions.
Shops that can open on Anzac Day
Working on Anzac Day
All workers, except essential service workers who cannot work from home, are required to stay at home on Anzac Day under Alert Level 4.
In essential services, employees can only be made to work on Anzac Day if:
- it falls on a day that they normally work (Saturday or Monday), and
- their employment agreement says they have to work on the public holiday.
In all other circumstances, employees only work on a public holiday only if they agree to do so.
Some people who work in an essential service may be in situations where they need to stay away from work and cannot work from home. They or someone they live with may be sick with COVID-19 or have had close contact with someone with COVID-19. Since they are at higher risk of severe illness if they contract COVID-19, they may agree with their employer that they will not work.
Health and safety in essential businesses
Employees that work on Anzac Day must be paid at the rate of at least time-and-a-half for the hours worked. Also, if they normally work on that public holiday, they must also be given an alternative holiday (‘a day in lieu’).
