The penalty multipliers
| Employment type | Penalty rate |
|---|---|
| Permanent (full-time or part-time) | 250% |
| Casual | 275% |
These rates apply to all hours worked on a public holiday, including sleepover disturbance hours triggered on a public holiday night. Award reference: Clause 33 (public holidays) and clause 14 (casual loading), SCHADS Award MA000100.
What counts as a public holiday
National public holidays (all states and territories)
- New Year's Day — 1 January
- Australia Day — 27 January 2025 (observed)
- Good Friday
- Easter Saturday
- Easter Sunday
- Easter Monday
- Anzac Day — 25 April
- King's Birthday — varies by state
- Christmas Day — 25 December
- Boxing Day — 26 December
State and territory additions
| State / Territory | Additional public holidays |
|---|---|
| New South Wales | Bank Holiday (1st Monday August), Labour Day (1st Monday October) |
| Victoria | Melbourne Cup Day (1st Tuesday November), AFL Grand Final Friday, Labour Day (2nd Monday March) |
| Queensland | Labour Day (1st Monday May), Royal Queensland Show (Brisbane only, August), King's Birthday (June) |
| South Australia | Adelaide Cup (2nd Monday May), Proclamation Day (26 December), Labour Day (October) |
| Western Australia | Foundation Day (1st Monday June), Queen's Birthday (September), Labour Day (1st Monday March) |
| Tasmania | Eight Hours Day (2nd Monday March), King's Birthday (June) |
| ACT | Reconciliation Day (May), Canberra Day (2nd Monday March), Family & Community Day (September), King's Birthday (June) |
| Northern Territory | May Day (1st Monday May), Picnic Day (1st Monday August), King's Birthday (June) |
Always check the Fair Work Ombudsman's public holiday tool for the current year's exact dates, particularly for moveable observances like Easter.
Worked example: Level 3.1 casual, Christmas Day, 6-hour shift
Base rate (SCHADS Level 3.1, effective 1 July 2025): $38.65/hr. Casual loading (25%) is included within the 275% multiplier — it is not added on top.
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Public holiday casual rate | $106.29/hr |
| 6-hour shift total | $637.74 |
| Superannuation (11.5%) | $73.34 |
| Total cost to employer | $711.08 |
Compare this to the same worker on a standard weekday: $38.65 × 1.25 (casual loading) = $48.31/hr, making a 6-hour shift $289.86 before super. Christmas Day costs more than twice as much.
Public holiday on a rostered day off
Permanent employees
If a public holiday falls on a day a permanent employee would normally work, they are entitled to a paid day off (or a substitute day by agreement under clause 33.3). They receive their ordinary rate even though they do not work.
If a public holiday falls on a day a permanent employee would not normally work, they have no automatic entitlement to pay for that day.
Part-time employees
A part-time employee is entitled to the public holiday if it falls on a day they are ordinarily rostered to work. Whether a day is an "ordinary" rostered day is determined by the employee's regular pattern of work, not just the current week's roster. Check the contract or standing roster, not just the week's schedule.
Casual employees
Casuals have no entitlement to a paid day off. They are only entitled to the 275% rate if they actually work. If a casual is rostered but the shift is cancelled because of the public holiday, no payment is required (unless cancellation is made with insufficient notice and minimum engagement provisions apply).
Worker refuses to work a public holiday
Under clause 33.2, an employee may refuse to work on a public holiday if the request to work is not reasonable, or if the refusal is reasonable in all the circumstances. Factors include the employee's personal circumstances, the operational needs of the service, and how much notice was given.
Important: A worker who refuses is not in breach of their employment obligations if the refusal is reasonable. Providers should not treat a refusal as misconduct without first considering whether the requirement itself was reasonable. Document the rostering rationale.
Substituted public holidays
When a public holiday falls on a weekend, states and territories often observe it on the following Monday. The substitute day is the public holiday for SCHADS purposes. The actual weekend day is not a public holiday unless it is one of the standard national holidays that attract their own Monday substitutes (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and Anzac Day can all attract substitutes under the National Employment Standards).
Under clause 33.3, an employer and employee can agree in writing to substitute another day for a public holiday. The substituted day then attracts the 250% or 275% penalty rate.
Coming up: ANZAC Day 2026
ANZAC Day falls on Saturday 25 April 2026. In most states this means Monday 27 April is observed as the public holiday for workers whose regular day falls on a Monday. However, ANZAC Day itself (the 25th) is a defined national holiday in its own right. Workers rostered on Saturday 25 April are entitled to public holiday rates regardless of any substitution. In some states both the Saturday and the Monday attract public holiday status — check your state rules if you run 7-day rosters.
Common mistakes to avoid
Paying the wrong rate to casuals
Some payroll systems apply 250% + 25% casual loading, giving 312.5%. The correct rate is 275% flat. The casual loading is embedded in the public holiday casual rate, not added on top.
Assuming no entitlement for casuals who work
Casuals have no entitlement to a paid day off, but if they do work, the 275% applies regardless of what day of the week the public holiday falls on.
Not updating NDIS service agreements
If your NDIS support agreements specify a fixed hourly rate, make sure public holiday loadings are either included in that agreed rate or noted as a surcharge. Billing clients at a flat rate while paying workers at 275% will destroy your margin on public holidays.