Public Holidays to Plan for: Early 2026 HR Essentials

As we move into 2026, now is the time for employers to plan ahead for upcoming public holidays and ensure payroll, rostering, and leave arrangements are aligned with employment legislation. Early planning can help avoid confusion, reduce disputes, and support a smoother start to the year for both employers and employees.

Below is a summary of key public holidays in early 2026, along with reminders around employee entitlements and common scenarios HR teams should be aware of.

Public Holidays – Early 2026

HR tip: Observed dates are particularly important when public holidays fall on weekends, as entitlements are tied to the day the holiday is legally observed.

Working on a Public Holiday

If an employee works on a public holiday that would otherwise be a working day for them, they are entitled to:

• Time and a half for the hours worked, and

• An alternative day (day in lieu) to be taken on another day they would normally work

This applies regardless of whether the employee is full-time or part-time.

👉 You may wish to link here to MBIE’s guidance on public holiday entitlements.

Casual and On-Call Workers

Public holiday entitlements for casual or on-call employees depend on whether the day would “otherwise be a working day”.

• If an employee can demonstrate a clear pattern of work (for example, regularly working Fridays), they are likely entitled to be paid for the public holiday if it falls on that day (e.g. Waitangi Day or Good Friday).

• Where there is no regular pattern of work (which is often the case for genuine casual employees), they are not entitled to be paid for the public holiday unless they actually work it.

• If a casual employee does work on a public holiday, they must still be paid time and a half for hours worked.

HR reminder: Correctly identifying whether a worker is truly casual is critical. Misclassification can create compliance risks.

Transferring the Observance of a Public Holiday

Employers and employees can agree to transfer the observance of a public holiday to another working day.

Key points to note:

• The agreement must be made in good faith

• It must be genuinely agreed between both parties

• The transferred day then becomes the public holiday for entitlement purposes

This means:

• Employees working on the transferred public holiday receive time and a half and an alternative day

• The original calendar date becomes a normal working day (unless otherwise agreed)

👉 This is a useful option for businesses with operational needs, but agreements should always be documented.

Need Advice or Support?

Public holiday rules can become complex, particularly when dealing with variable work patterns, payroll systems, or operational requirements.

If you have questions or would like tailored advice, please contact hradvice@businesscanterbruy.co.nz

You can also explore additional employment guidance and HR resources through Business Canterbury’s HR Insights and support services.