Mondayising holidays
Hayden Donnell in the Herald reports:
Politicians and unions are calling on the Government to move public holidays that fall on weekends to Monday as workers face losing two days off in 2011.
Waitangi Day is on a Sunday this year and Anzac Day is cancelled out by coinciding with Easter Monday.
Labour leader Phil Goff says he wants to see legislation guaranteeing a day off for each public holiday, regardless of where it falls.
“I can’t think of any reason why people should be deprived of a public holiday twice every seven years.
“I think most people would feel there should be more consistency.”
Giving workers the extra days off would be affordable, he says. “It’s not an economic issue. If five out of seven years you can afford it, then you should be able to the other two.
Shock, horror – I actually agree with Phil Goff on this point. While I am loath to increase costs on employers, I know as an employer I budget for there being 11 public holidays a year. I think it is easier to have it consistent.
I will note of course that Labour never changed the law during their nine years in office.
So in principle I think the law should change to Mondayise holidays – however there are some fish hooks.
- If a holiday is mondayised, then staff who work on the actual holiday will not get penal rates or a day off in lieu. If Christmas Day is on a Saturday, then it will be officially on 27 December. That means if you work in a service station you get no penal rates of time off in lieu for working Sat Dec 25th but would for Mon 27th.
- One would need to clarify if the celebrations still occur on the actual date, or the public holiday. Most would want ANZAC Day I am sure to always be 25 April, but if that is a weekend, then it means that staff who work that day will again not get penal rates or a day off in lieu.
- We’re on the verge of a double dip recession. This is probably the worst possible time to increase costs on employers. I’m still in favour of doing it – but delay implementation until at least 2013.
- There may be inconsistencies between the shop trading hours restrictions and mondayising holidays.