New Rules for Employers Shutting Down for Christmas

New Rules for Employers Shutting Down for Christmas

With the Christmas holiday period less than a fortnight away the Department of Labour is reminding employers about a new provision affecting businesses who close their doors over this time

A number of changes to the Employment Relations Act and the Holidays Act were passed by Parliament in November - one of these changes relating to the treatment of holidays and leave during a mandatory ‘closedown’ period comes into effect immediately.

This means that if your business shuts down during Christmas and New Year then your employees will be entitled to be paid for any public holidays that they would otherwise have worked if the business was operating.

Further information on the change and the remaining amendments to the Employment Relations Act and the Holidays Act, which come into effect on 1 April 2011, are available on the Department’s website.

Employers are also advised to familiarise themselves with the public holiday provisions of the Act with Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and 2 January all falling on the weekend this holiday season.

For more information on who’s entitled to what, and to access the Department’s online holidays tool, visit our website.

ENDS

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