We pay our respect to all the ANZACs who served and died in war and on operational service on this day.

On this national public holiday, we embrace the ANZAC spirit are are proud of the qualities of courage, mateship and sacrifice that will forever have meaning and relevance to our sense of national identity.

With this in mind, employers are reminded of the correct payment for work performed on Public holidays).

According the Electrical Electronic and Communications Contracting Award 2010, full-time and part-time employees (where a part-time employee’s ordinary hours fall on a public holiday) are entitled to have a public holiday off work, and receive payment for that day at their ordinary rate of pay.

Furthermore, if an employer requires an employee to work on a public holiday, there are two options:

• Payment at the appropriate penalty rate; An employee covered by the Electrical Award, who is asked to work on a public holiday is entitled to payment for the public holiday at the rate of double time and a half for all hours worked (min payment of four hours).
• Substitution of the public holiday; whereby the employee works an ordinary day (or half day) on the public holiday, and is given another ordinary (or half day), paid day off.

NECA advise employers that this needs to be agreed to between both the employer and employee (or majority of employee’s concerned) in writing. An employee who is asked to work on a public holiday is not entitled to both payment at the penalty rate, and another paid day off. It is simply one or the other.

For further information, please contact NECA on 02 9744 1099.