Everyone has the right to at least 4 weeks of annual leave, 12 public holidays, 10 days of sick leave and 3 days of bereavement leave.
You can take at least 4 weeks of paid annual leave once you have worked for your employer for one year. You can ask to take paid leave before the first year, but your employer does not have to agree. If you leave your job during the first year, you should take or be paid out for the leave you have built up. For example, if you leave after six months, you will have 2 weeks of paid leave.
There are 12 public holidays in New Zealand:
- 1 Jan – New Year’s Day
- 2 Jan – Day after New Year’s Day
- 6 February – Waitangi Day
- March or April (dates are different each year)– Easter Friday and Easter Monday
- 25 April – ANZAC Day
- 1st Monday in June – King’s Birthday
- June or July (date is different each year) – Matariki
- 4th Monday in October – Labour Day
- 25 December – Christmas Day
- 26 December – Boxing Day
- One day for regional anniversary day (date depends where you work)
- If you work on a public holiday, and that day is a usual day of work for you, you should be paid 1.5 times your ordinary pay and be able to take a paid day off at another time.
Sick leave and bereavement leave
After 6 months of work, you can take at least 10 days of paid sick leave. You can take sick leave if you are sick or if you are looking after a parent or child who is sick.
After 6 months of work, you can take at least 10 days of paid sick leave.
You can take at least three days of bereavement leave if a member of your immediate family dies.
Rest and meal breaks
If you work an 8-hour day, you have the right to be paid for two 10-min breaks. You also have the right to take a 30-minute lunch break that is not paid. If you work more than 8 hours in a day, you are entitled to additional rest and meal breaks. You can find more information here.
