Matariki 2026: What Employers Need to Know
Matariki will be observed as a public holiday on Friday, 10 July 2026.
If the day is an otherwise working day for an employee (a day they would normally work), their entitlement depends on whether they work on the public holiday.
If the Employee Does Not Work
If Matariki falls on an otherwise working day and the employee does not work, they are entitled to a paid day off at their Relevant Daily Pay (RDP) or Average Daily Pay (ADP).
If the Employee Works
If an employee works on Matariki, they must be paid at least time-and-a-half for all hours worked.
If the day would otherwise have been a working day for the employee, they are also entitled to a paid alternative holiday (commonly referred to as a day in lieu).
Specific Employment Arrangements
1. Shift Workers
- If you work a shift on Matariki, you are entitled to time-and-a-half for all hours worked.
- If the shift falls on an otherwise working day, you are also entitled to an alternative holiday.
2. Casual Employees
- Casual employees receive the same public holiday entitlements as permanent employees where the public holiday falls on a day they would otherwise have worked.
- In these circumstances, they are entitled to a paid day off if they do not work, or time-and-a-half plus an alternative holiday if they do work.
- If the public holiday does not fall on a day they would normally work, they are only entitled to time-and-a-half for any hours worked on the day.
3. Transferring the Public Holiday
- An employee and employer may agree in writing to transfer the observance of a public holiday to another day.
- This is commonly used where an employee wishes to observe a different cultural or religious event.
- The transferred day must be an otherwise working day for the employee and cannot be another public holiday.
- Where a shift spans two calendar days and crosses over a public holiday, the parties may agree to transfer the holiday so it applies to the entire shift.
- The transferred holiday must be a continuous 24-hour period that begins or ends on the actual public holiday.
Need Advice?
If you have any questions about Matariki public holiday entitlements or other employment matters, please contact Michael Pollard at hradvice@businesscanterbury.co.nz.