Counting down to the next public holiday
One of the things most employees do is study the calendar to find the next public holiday so they can request annual leave for some extra time off or enjoy a long weekend.
When it comes to public holidays, Victoria and the ACT lead the way with 13 each. As an employer or business owner, there are certain obligations you must meet in relation to public holidays. These will depend on your business type and industry. And there are certain public holidays that will affect all Aussie businesses.
If you’re unsure of your public holiday obligations or employee wage rates, call and speak to a specialist adviser at Peninsula.
List of public holidays in Victoria for 2025:
| Holiday | Date in 2025 |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | Wednesday 1 January |
| Australia Day | Monday 27 January |
| Labour Day | Monday 10 March |
| Good Friday | Friday 18 April |
| Easter Saturday | Saturday 19 April |
| Easter Sunday | Sunday 20 April |
| Easter Monday | Monday 21 April |
| ANZAC Day | Friday 25 April |
| King’s Birthday | Monday 9 June |
| Friday before the AFL Grand Final | Subject to AFL Schedule |
| Melbourne Cup | Tuesday 4 November |
| Christmas Day | Thursday 25 December |
| Boxing Day | Friday 26 December |
*As Australia Day falls on Sunday 26 January 2025, the holiday is moved to Monday 27 January 2025.
Employee entitlements on public holidays in Victoria
All employees are entitled to public holidays under the National Employment Standards (NES). Full-time and part-time employees who are absent from work because of a public holiday must receive their base rate of pay for the hours they would have otherwise worked. Employees aren’t owed incentive-based payments, bonuses, overtime, penalty rates, loadings or monetary allowances. Employees are only entitled to payment if the public holiday falls on a day that they normally work.
Casual employees only receive public holiday entitlements if they work on the public holiday.
Employing staff on public holidays in Victoria
If you employ staff on a public holiday, the employee may be entitled to:
- Penalty rates for each hour worked on that day.
- Time off in lieu.
- Equivalent time added to their annual leave for each hour worked on that day.
Modern awards, enterprise agreements, and other registered agreements can provide entitlements for working public holidays, including:
- Extra pay.
- An extra day off or extra annual leave.
- Minimum shift lengths on public holidays.
- Agreeing to substitute a public holiday for another day.
You can request staff to work on a public holiday if the request is reasonable.
Whether the request is reasonable or not, will depend on the:
- Nature of the business.
- Employee’s personal circumstances, such as family responsibilities.
- Amount of notice you provide.
An employee can refuse the request if it isn’t reasonable, or if they have a reasonable reason to refuse.
Restricted trading days in Victoria
Under Victorian law, there are two-and-a-half restricted trading days each year. Good Friday, Christmas Day, and ANZAC day between 12.01 am and 1.00 pm. On these days, only exempt shops are permitted to open.
The Shop Trading Reform Act 1996 prohibits shops from trading on restricted trading days. The Act provides two separate ways in which a shop is exempt from restricted trading days and can operate.
The specific types of shops that can open on restricted trading days are:
- Chemists
- Petrol stations
- Restaurants
- Cafes
- Takeaway outlets.
A shop that meets a particular size criteria is also exempt:
- These have 20 or fewer persons employed in the shop at any time on a restricted trading day.
- The number of persons employed by the shop and its related entities is no more than 100 at any time during the 7 days immediately before the restricted trading day.
ANZAC Day (25 April) has additional restrictions. Some businesses must not operate before 1.00pm, even if they’re exempt from other restricted trading days:
- Cinemas (whether indoor or outdoor).
- Other entertainment-for example, live dance or music events, concerts or plays.
- Real estate auctions.
Businesses that are factories, warehouses or where any premises has any manufacturing process being carried out must be closed throughout ANZAC Day subject to the prescribed criteria in the ANZAC Day Act 1958.
Sit back and relax
The holiday season, public holidays, and long weekends mean enjoying good food and fun times with family and friends. If you’re a business owner or employer in Victoria, you need to know all the public holidays and appropriate employee entitlements to ensure you meet your legal obligations.
Peninsula is committed to providing answers to your public holiday questions. Call our team for free initial advice.