Holiday work guide

Holiday allowance on night shifts: before and after midnight

A night shift may fall only partly on a public holiday. Split the shift at the date change before calculating holiday hours and any overlapping allowances.

Calculate holiday allowance →

Why midnight matters

  • A calendar day ends at midnight. If the holiday starts at 00:00, the hours after that point initially belong to the holiday period.
  • Hours after the holiday ends at midnight belong to the next calendar day, subject to your applicable rules.

Example: shift leads into a holiday

  • Shift: 22:00–06:00
  • Holiday begins at 00:00
  • Holiday portion: 00:00–06:00
  • A 30-minute unpaid break can reduce eligible holiday time to 5.5 hours, depending on how the break is allocated.

Example: shift starts on a holiday

  • If work begins at 22:00 on the holiday and ends at 06:00, the first two hours fall on the holiday. Hours after midnight belong to the next date.

Sunday, holiday and breaks

  • When Sunday and a holiday overlap, your rules may use the higher rate, a combined rate or both rates.
  • An unpaid break removes base pay and enabled allowances; a paid break remains included.
FAQ

Questions about this topic

Does the whole night shift count as holiday work?

Not automatically. First identify the part that lies within the holiday calendar date.

What happens to hours after midnight?

They belong to the new calendar date and follow that date's holiday status.

Can night allowance apply as well?

Yes. Night and holiday periods can overlap, subject to your applicable combination rules.

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