8. MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) Link to this
to the Minister of Labour
What changes has she announced regarding public holidays?
Hon KATE WILKINSON (Minister of Labour) Link to this
The Holidays Amendment Bill, which has just been introduced, includes a late amendment in order to clarify the law around the Christmas and New Year public holidays. The Employment Court recently ruled that if a firm shuts its doors over the Christmas and New Year period, employees are not legally entitled to Christmas and New Year public holidays, so employees may have needed to use up 4 days of annual leave to cover those days instead. Christmas and New Year holidays are an established feature of the New Zealand summer. Where firms decide to close their doors it is important that staff are not unfairly disadvantaged by losing four public holidays.
Michael Woodhouse Link to this
Were any recommendations to the holidays advisory group not accepted?
Hon KATE WILKINSON Link to this
Yes, there was a suggestion that the day after St Patrick’s Day be made a public holiday. Although I had some sympathy for that suggestion, in the interests of productivity and growing the economy, we rejected it.