What Are The Public Holidays in New Zealand in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in New Zealand (2026)

New Zealand has a mix of nationwide and regional public holidays, and several are Mondayised when they fall on a weekend. Use this table to plan staffing, leave, and payroll settings for your New Zealand team in 2026.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, New Zealand employment law generally requires employers to provide paid public holidays to employees who would otherwise work on that day, provided they meet minimum entitlement rules. If the public holiday falls on a day that is an otherwise working day for the employee, and they do not work, they are entitled to a paid day off at their relevant daily pay or average daily pay. If they do work on a public holiday, they are entitled to at least time and a half for the hours worked, plus (in most cases) an alternative paid day off.

New Zealand has 11 nationwide public holidays, and employees may also be entitled to one regional anniversary day depending on where they normally work, bringing the total to up to 12 public holidays. In 2026, ANZAC Day and Boxing Day fall on a weekend and are Mondayised for most employees, meaning the public holiday is observed on the following Monday if the weekend day is not an otherwise working day for that employee. Entitlements can differ for part-time or variable-hours staff, so you need to assess whether each public holiday is an otherwise working day for each employee based on their usual work patterns and employment agreement.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

If your company fails to provide correct public holiday entitlements, you can face enforcement action from New Zealand's labour inspectorate and the Employment Relations Authority. Penalties can include orders to repay underpaid wages and holiday pay, compensation to affected employees, and fines for breaches of minimum employment standards. Serious or repeated non-compliance can lead to higher penalties and reputational damage, and directors or managers may be personally named in proceedings.

Common mistakes include not Mondayising holidays correctly, misclassifying whether a day is an otherwise working day, failing to pay time and a half for work on public holidays, and not granting alternative holidays when required. Another frequent issue is using outdated or incorrect calculations for relevant daily pay or average daily pay, especially for employees with variable hours or earnings. Keeping accurate time and pay records and regularly reviewing your payroll settings is essential to demonstrate compliance if you are audited.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

New Zealand law does not set a universal overtime threshold in the same way some countries do, but public holidays interact with pay calculations in specific ways. When an employee works on a public holiday, you must pay at least time and a half for the hours worked, regardless of whether they have exceeded their usual hours. If the public holiday is an otherwise working day for them, they will also usually earn an alternative paid holiday, which they can take on a later agreed date on full pay.

Any contractual overtime arrangements in your employment agreements continue to apply on public holidays, but they sit on top of the statutory minimum of time and a half. For example, if your contract already provides time and a half for certain hours, you must ensure the total rate for public holiday hours is at least as favourable as the legal minimum. You also need to factor public holidays into weekly pay calculations, ensuring that paid public holidays do not reduce an employee's normal weekly earnings and that any averaging methods you use still meet or exceed minimum entitlements.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing public holidays and leave rules in New Zealand doesn’t have to be complex. Playroll keeps you 100% compliant by automatically tracking local holidays, observed days, and pay requirements –  so your team is paid correctly and on time, every time.

Whether you’re hiring your first employee or scaling a growing team, Playroll lets you employ talent without setting up a local entity. We handle compliant contracts, benefits, and payroll in one platform, so you can reduce compliance risk and focus on growing your business while we take care of the heavy-lifting in the background. Book a chat with our team to get started.