Public Holiday Pay in Australia: What to Check

Public Holiday Rates Are Not Universal

A common misconception is that "double time and a half" (250%) is the standard public holiday pay rate across all Australian workplaces. In practice, public holiday pay rates vary — they are set by the applicable Modern Award or enterprise agreement, and they can differ significantly between industries, employment types, and states.

While 2.5× of the ordinary rate is common across many awards, some awards specify lower rates, others specify higher rates, and some set flat rates or different conditions for different types of public holidays. Always check the provisions of your specific award.

State and Territory Public Holiday Differences

Under Australian law, public holidays are declared at the state and territory level (with some national public holidays applying everywhere). This means the list of public holidays can differ significantly depending on where you work:

• National holidays observed in all states and territories include New Year's Day, Australia Day, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Monday, Anzac Day, Queen's/King's Birthday (though the date varies), Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.
• State-specific holidays include events such as the Melbourne Cup Day (Victoria), Show Day (Queensland and others on varying regional dates), Adelaide Cup (South Australia), and others that are not observed nationally.
• Regional and local public holidays may apply to specific areas within a state or territory.

To confirm which public holidays apply in your state or territory, refer to your state government's official public holiday calendar. Official sources include:

• Fair Work Ombudsman — Public Holidays
• Your state or territory government's official website

The "Normally Rostered Day" Issue

Under the National Employment Standards, employees who are not required to work on a public holiday are generally entitled to be paid for the day if it falls on a day they would normally work.

For a full-time employee on a standard Monday-to-Friday roster, a public holiday falling on a Monday means they receive a paid day off. The question becomes more complex for employees with variable rosters, rotating shifts, or non-standard work patterns — because the question of whether a given public holiday falls on a "normally worked day" is not always straightforward.

For part-time employees, whether a public holiday generates a pay entitlement generally depends on whether it falls on a day they are usually scheduled to work. A part-time employee who does not usually work Mondays has no entitlement to payment for a public holiday that falls on a Monday (unless their award provides otherwise).

Full-Time, Part-Time, and Casual Differences

Full-time employees

Generally entitled to a paid day off on any public holiday that falls on a day they would normally work. If required to work, they are generally entitled to a public holiday penalty rate and may also be entitled to a substitute day off — depending on the award.

Part-time employees

Entitled to a paid day off if the public holiday falls on a day they are ordinarily rostered to work. The entitlement is generally proportional to their ordinary hours on that day. No general entitlement applies if the public holiday falls on a day they do not usually work.

Casual employees

Generally not entitled to payment for a public holiday they do not work. However, if a casual employee is rostered and works on a public holiday, they are entitled to the public holiday penalty rate under their applicable award or enterprise agreement. Some awards may provide additional entitlements for casuals on public holidays.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Full-Time Employee Who Works on a Public Holiday

Full-time employee, base rate $30/hr. Award specifies a public holiday rate of 250% (double time and a half). Employee works an 8-hour shift on Christmas Day.

Example 2: Full-Time Employee Who Does Not Work on a Public Holiday

Same employee does not work on Christmas Day (it falls on their usual work day). They are entitled to a paid day off under the National Employment Standards.

Example 3: Casual Employee Who Works on a Public Holiday

Casual employee, base rate $28/hr, 25% casual loading. Award specifies 250% public holiday rate applied to the loaded casual rate.

Official Source Links

• Fair Work Ombudsman — Public Holidays guide
• Fair Work Pay and Conditions Tool — for award-specific public holiday pay rates
• Fair Work Award list — access the pay guide for your specific award

See also: Overtime vs Penalty Rates • Worked Examples • Sources and Official References