Public Holiday Pay Rates: Who Gets Paid What
Employees are entitled to be absent and paid for the ordinary hours they would have worked on a public holiday, but public holiday rates for working the day come from the award or enterprise agreement, not from a single national figure. Your rate depends on your award, classification, employment type, the hours you work and whether the employer's request to work was reasonable.
This guide covers public holiday rates for full-time, part-time and casual staff, how to check a payslip and what employers must record. It sits under our national minimum wage australia guide.
- Employees are entitled to be absent and paid for the ordinary hours they would have worked on a public holiday, and an employer can ask them to work only if the request is reasonable.
- Casuals are paid only if they work the public holiday, and the rate they receive comes from the award or agreement.
- Public holiday rates are not in the National Employment Standards, so look them up in the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for your award and classification.
- The national minimum wage is $26.44 per hour from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026, and casuals on it get at least $33.05 per hour.
Public holiday rates: rates and rules
Because the dollar figures sit in each award, the table shows the structure of the rule rather than a single number. Use it to know which question to ask the pay guide.
| Item | What the rule says | Where the figure comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Day off on a public holiday | Employees are entitled to be absent and paid for the ordinary hours they would have worked that day. | National Employment Standards |
| Asked to work | An employer can ask an employee to work only if the request is reasonable, and the employee can refuse if the refusal is reasonable. | National Employment Standards |
| Rate for working the day | Public holiday penalty rates come from the award or enterprise agreement and differ by industry and classification. | Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for your award |
| Casual pay | Casuals are paid only if they work the day, and they receive the casual loading, which is 25% under most awards, plus any award public holiday rate. | Award or agreement, and the pay guide |
| Base rate | Modern award minimum rates rose 4.75% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2026. | Pay guide for your award |
Who public holiday pay applies to
Most private-sector employees are in the national system under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth). NSW state public sector and some local government employees are in the NSW state system, so check which rules cover you.
| Employment type | What applies on a public holiday |
|---|---|
| Full-time | Absent and paid ordinary hours if the holiday falls on a normal working day. If they work, the award public holiday rate applies. |
| Part-time | Paid for the ordinary hours they would have worked that day. If it is not one of their usual days, there is generally no paid entitlement unless the award says otherwise. |
| Casual | Not paid for the day unless they work. If they work, they receive their casual rate and the award public holiday loading. |
| Junior or apprentice | The same public holiday rules, but the rate is built on the junior or apprentice base rate in the award. |
| Labour hire worker | Employed and paid by the provider. The host site's roster may decide whether work is offered, but the provider must apply the correct award rate. |
| Employer asking for work | Must make a reasonable request, give notice and pay the correct rate. A refusal that is reasonable cannot be penalised. |
Public holiday rates for casuals
Casual staff often ask whether they are paid for a day they do not work. The short answer is no, but the rate on the day they do work can be high.
- Do not expect pay for a public holiday you were not rostered or did not work, because casuals are paid only if they work the day.
- Check the pay guide for the casual rate on the day, because it combines the base rate, the casual loading and the public holiday penalty.
- Remember that the casual loading is 25% under most awards, and some awards treat it differently on penalty days, so read yours.
- Confirm any extra rostered hours in writing before the holiday, so the pay is not disputed afterwards.
- Keep your timesheet for the day, because the payslip should show the holiday hours as a separate line.
How to calculate public holiday pay
Run this check before payroll cut-off, especially ahead of a long weekend when shift workers are rostered across several sites.
- Confirm the award or agreement, the employee's classification and their employment type, including whether they are casual.
- Check whether the day is a public holiday for that workplace, since state and local holidays can differ.
- Decide whether the person worked. If not, a full-time or part-time employee is paid ordinary hours, and a casual is not paid.
- If they worked, open the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide and find the public holiday rate for their classification.
- Multiply the correct hourly rate by the hours worked, then add any allowances and the 12% super guarantee on ordinary time earnings.
- Check the payslip shows the holiday hours, the rate and the total, and correct any shortfall straight away.
| Worked example (structure) | What happens |
|---|---|
| Permanent employee, day off | The holiday falls on a normal working day, so the employee is paid for the 8 ordinary hours they would have worked at the base rate. |
| Permanent employee, asked to work | The employer makes a reasonable request and the employee agrees. Pay is the pay guide public holiday rate for the hours worked. |
| Casual, no award | The casual is paid only if they work, with a minimum of $33.05 per hour (including the 25% loading) plus anything the award adds. |
Employer obligations for public holiday rates
Every long weekend is a payroll risk. A short checklist keeps rosters, timesheets and payslips aligned.
- Pay ordinary hours for employees who are absent on a public holiday that falls on their normal working day.
- Make reasonable requests to work, with notice, and consider the employee's circumstances before you roster them.
- Apply the award or agreement public holiday rate for every hour worked on the day, including short shifts and call-outs.
- Issue a payslip within 1 working day of payday, and keep time and wage records for 7 years.
- Report payroll information to the ATO through Single Touch Payroll on or before each payday.
- Pay super with wages so it reaches the employee's fund within 7 business days of payday.
Worker rights on a public holiday
Your rights depend on your employment type, but you can usually check a payslip yourself in a few minutes.
- Find the date of the public holiday and your roster for that week, and note whether you were absent or working.
- Open the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for your award and find the public holiday rate for your classification.
- Compare the rate and hours on your payslip with the pay guide and your timesheet.
- Raise any difference in writing with your employer or labour hire provider, and ask for a corrected payslip.
- If it is not fixed, contact the Fair Work Ombudsman through the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94.
Common mistakes to avoid with public holiday rates
- Applying the wrong award, so the public holiday penalty is taken from an industry that does not cover the job.
- Paying casuals for a holiday they did not work, or failing to pay the correct rate when they do work.
- Treating a request to work as a demand, when the employee can refuse if the request is unreasonable or the refusal is reasonable.
- Forgetting that the penalty is separate from penalty rates for weekends, so the two are not added unless the award says so.
- Missing the payroll cut-off before a long weekend, then paying the shortfall weeks later without explaining it.
- Failing to keep timesheets for 7 years, which leaves no proof if the rate is questioned.
Public holiday rates FAQ
What is the public holiday rate?
There is no single national public holiday rate. The rate for working a public holiday comes from your award or agreement, so look up your classification in the Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide. Employees who do not work are paid their ordinary hours for the day.
Do casual workers get paid for public holidays?
Not unless they work. Casuals are paid only for the hours they actually work on the day. If they do, they receive the casual loading, usually 25%, plus any public holiday penalty set by the award, so check the pay guide.
Can my employer make me work on a public holiday?
An employer can ask you to work only if the request is reasonable, and you can refuse if your refusal is reasonable. Relevant factors include the type of work, your personal circumstances, the notice you received and the pay offered.
Where do I check my public holiday pay?
Use the free Fair Work Ombudsman pay guide for your award or call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94. Modern award minimums rose 4.75% from 1 July 2026, so check you are looking at the current guide.
Next step: get public holiday pay right
Check each worker's award, classification and roster before the next public holiday, and set an early payroll cut-off. At TQN Personnel, we place and pay labour hire workers across Sydney and can help you find reliable workers for your site. This is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice, so check the Fair Work Ombudsman, the ATO or an employment lawyer for your situation. For related pay topics, read our guides on how to calculate overtime, meal and rest breaks, work allowances, the fast food award and the super guarantee.