Holidays Act review paper published

The Holidays Act 2003 sets out the minimum entitlements to holidays and leave, and payment for them, that employers are obliged to provide to their employees.

It is an Act that touches the lives of every employee in New Zealand. Its purpose is to promote balance between work and other aspects of employees’ lives by providing minimum entitlements to annual holidays, public holidays, sick leave and bereavement leave.

However, it has become evident in recent years that widespread non-compliance with the current Act is affecting employers and employees right across the New Zealand economyand is costing employers and employees significant sums of money. 

To address this, in May 2018, the Minister of Workplace Relations and Safety established a Taskforce to review the Holidays Act 2003 (the Act) and recommend changes.

The tripartite Taskforce, which includes employer, employee and government representatives, offers the opportunity to work together to find a better solution.