If your business is opening over the Easter and ANZAC holidays, there are a number of rules around employer obligations to their employees, and the ability of shops to trade to keep in mind. Here’s a reminder.
Easter and Anzac dates for 2022
- Good Friday – 15 April 2022
- Easter Monday – 18 April 2022
- Anzac Day – Monday 25 April 2022
Employee’s rights
Employees don’t have to agree to work on Good Friday, Easter Monday or Anzac Day, unless:
- these are days that the employee would have normally worked
- their employment contract says they have to work on the public holidays.
Public holidays and the rights of employees
Public holiday pay
If an employee would normally work on Fridays and/or Mondays and:
- they work on Good Friday 15 April and/or Easter Monday 17 April/Anzac Day Monday 25 April, they must also be given a paid day off (‘alternative holiday’) for each of the days worked.
- they do not work on Good Friday and/or Easter Monday/Anzac Day, they still have to be paid for the holidays.
Special rules for Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday is not a public holiday, but shop and hospitality employees have the right to refuse to work on Easter Sunday. This acknowledges that Easter Sunday is a day of special significance across New Zealand.
Businesses opening during Easter and ANZAC holidays
Shops cannot open on Good Friday, Easter Sunday or ANZAC Day (25 April) until 1pm. However, there are some exceptions:
- Certain shops including dairies, service stations, takeaway bars, restaurants, cafes and souvenir stores can open with conditions limiting the goods they can sell, according to the type of store they are. Garden centres can only open on Easter Sunday. Pharmacies can open with no restrictions.
- Some shops are covered by a city and district council Easter Sunday trading policy. Shop trading is permitted on Easter Sundays throughout the Queenstown Lakes District.
- These rules only apply to businesses that are shops as covered by the Shop Trading Hours Act 1990. Other businesses can open during the Easter and ANZAC holidays.
