An employee is entitled to the day off on every public holiday, and to be paid the ordinary wage for it if it falls on a day they would have worked. An employee who agrees to work a public holiday must be paid at least twice the ordinary rate for that day.

Section 14C(2) gives leave of absence on a public holiday with current remuneration where it falls on a working day. Section 14C(3) requires payment of not less than twice current remuneration where the employee consents to work. Consent matters: the right is to the day, and the double rate is what makes giving it up worth something. Subsection (1) of the same section is the twenty four hour weekly rest already recorded separately in this library.

Applies to: Every employee covered by the Labour Act