High days and holidays

Daniel Park · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 1:50 am Post subject: High days and holidays

Hi all,

Now that there's a real chance of making it to NZ, suddenly there's so many practical questions to ask.

Like this, for instance...

Having just broken the news to my parents last night that fingers crossed we're on our way, and having endured the (entirely anticipated) guilt trip about taking their grandchild away from them etc etc, it occurs to me to ask what holiday entitlement you normally get in a typical working year in NZ?

I hear it's only about 3 weeks plus public hols. Which doesn't leave much time for visits.

And what about negotiating with prospective employers for any extra hols? Does that work or do you get funny looks / quietly shown the door?

For the record I'm in publishing, but used to be a teacher. Yes I know what the hols are for teachers (ie pretty good) but I'm interested in what normal entitlements are.

Anyone got any info? Sorry if this one has come up before - I don't have an encyclopaedic knowledge of the site!! Yet!

Dan

Lee&Nicky · I Like It Here Joined: 15 May 2004 Posts: 70

Dan,

I think there has been some discussion on this subject. From memory, 15 days is the norm although I have also seen that it is OK practice to try and negotiate more with your prospective employer (might vary depending on the trade/profession, but generally get the impression that employers won't be offended if you ask, assume they expect you should also not be offended when turned down!). I think there are a couple more public holidays than in the UK (Waitangi Day plus a regional holiday, days determined by local authorities). There also a concept of permitted sick days (9 days seems to ring a bell). This seems a bit of a strange concept to a Brit like me, where you are treated as a malingering drain on resources if you take so much as a day of a year, but I assume it is kind of expected that an employee will take this number of days off sick each year. It is paid, I assume, and I have seen comments that people do use this as a means of supplementing their relatively meagre holiday entitlements. However, you should watch out on rules for new employees (and how long you are deemed "new" for this purpose), I am sure there was a recent thread containing a horror story of someone going off genuinely sick and getting no pay because they are a "new" employee.

There are plans to increase the statutory holiday entitlement in NZ to 20 days, but I think this is some years off yet so don't hold your breath.

I am sure there are people on this forum who can confirm and expand on the above.

Lee

Lee

michelle · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 2:46 am Post subject:

Hi Dan

I get 3 weeks and 2 days plus public holidays, huge drop from my current 42 days. there is talk of it increasing to 4 weeks minimum 2006 allegedly but now I have heard 2007.

Last time I worked out there I found the working practices to be very flexible, changing between full and .9 .8 etc was very easy. I also managed to get extra un paid leave when friends were visiting. I did have a very good manager so this did help.

It also seems possible to save up your leave from year to year for longer trips home although I dont know if this applies to all employers.

Teachers holidays.... well I work part time at a college and their holidays may seem good but in my experience they end up spending much of it prepping and stressing about staff or lack of it, course numbers and
budgets. Maybe thats the place I worked at and its one of the reasons I didn't do it full time !

Don't worry about subjects coming up again, they do all the time and its always good to get an update or someone elses opinion

Anyway hope the above helps

Michelle

coastcat · Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 4:29 am Post subject:

Info on the current holidays situation is available through the NZ Department of Labour's Employment Relations Service.

The Holidays Act 2003 is effective 1 April 2004, and here's a summary...

Annual leave: After one year of employment, an employee is entitled to a minimum of three weeks of paid annual leave. Effective 1 April 2007, this will increase to four weeks. Employees are entitled to take up to two weeks continuous leave, if they choose to do so.

Public holidays: Employees get paid leave on 11 public holidays (10 nationwide, plus a provincial holiday).

Sick leave: After six months of employment, an employee is entitled to five days of annual sick leave. Sick leave not used is carried over to the next year, with a maximum accumulation of 20 days.

Bereavement leave: After six months of employment, an employee is entitled to three days of bereavement leave for the death of an immediate family member.

Again, I must point out how generous this looks to Americans; our leave is entirely up to the employer and there is no legal requirement for employers to offer any paid annual leave. The only government requirement is to allow time off under the Family And Medical Leave Act, and that's unpaid leave! Most employers do offer leave - the typical benefits package includes two weeks annual leave, five days sick/personal leave, and six public holidays.

ruthyroo · I'll Hang Around A Little Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 39

Coming from a scottish university, and a minimum of 30 days leave, plus flexible working, it has been a bit of a shock to find out that working in local gov NZ I only have 15 days AL. In fact, in the first 12 months of employment, there is no paid annual leave. The way it works is that technically I can take as much unpaid leave during this first year - but I will only be reimbursed for 15 days in that year. After each four years service, another 5 days AL is added. And yes in 2007 it will increase to a minimum of 20 days AL.

Sick leave does seem to be an accepted way to increase your holidays but I haven't tried it yet.

So the answer is.. make the most of the weekends! Kiwi's have a reputation of being active, outdoorsy people. I reckon it has as much to do with their lack of AL and having to cram all their recreation into the weekends - rather than using it as time out, and having a 'proper holiday' once or twice a year. Oh and get the grandparents to come out to you instead!