Back in the day, the year used to tick along at a fairly predictable pace.

Christmas happened when the tinsel appeared in shop windows, and someone inevitably burnt their feet running across the driveway to bring the metal bins in.

A few months later the local bakery would suddenly be stacked with proper hot cross bunsand supermarkets would roll out the first shiny chocolate eggs.

That was your sign Easter was on the way.

These days though, time seems to move at warp speed.

Hot cross buns appear on Boxing Day, Christmas decorations pop up sometime around September, and before you’ve even finished complaining about the price of mangoes… someone casually mentions Easter and you realise the year is already flying past.

So if Easter has snuck up on you this year, don’t worry, you’re not alone.

In 2026 the Easter long weekend runs from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April, which creates the familiar four-day break for many workplaces across Australia. We decided to get this information to you early so you can really plan your rosters well. When public holidays are involved, payroll can get pricey – so forearmed is forewarned, and you can budget your payroll accordingly.

Easter Public Holidays – Australia (2026)

Good Friday and Easter Monday are recognised nationwide and are what create the traditional four-day Easter long weekend for many employees.

Easter Public Holidays by State or Territory

X = not a gazetted public holiday

Do I Need to Pay My Employee?

This is where Easter can catch employers out.

If a full-time or part-time employee normally works on a day that falls on a gazetted public holiday, that day is considered a “public holiday not worked.”

Which means the employee is generally entitled to their ordinary pay for that day even if they’re not working.

If the public holiday falls on a day the employee does not normally work, then generally no payment is required.

Example

Let’s say your part-time customer support officer works Mondays and Tuesdays.

During Easter:

• Good Friday → no payment required (they don’t normally work Fridays)
• Easter Monday → they are paid their ordinary hours while enjoying a long weekend

And just a reminder…

You can’t temporarily change someone’s roster just to avoid paying a public holiday.

What If Someone Works on the Public Holiday?

Employees who work on a gazetted public holiday may be entitled to public holiday penalty rates or loadings.

Exactly what applies depends on:

• the Modern Award
• any Enterprise Agreement (EBA)
• the employee’s contract
• whether they are full-time, part-time or casual

In short: check before you run payroll.

Can I Ask Someone to Work on a Public Holiday?

Yes, employers can request employees to work on a public holiday if the request is reasonable.

Things that may be considered include:

• the operational needs of the business
• the employee’s personal circumstances
• whether public holiday work was expected
• how much notice was given
• whether the employee receives penalty rates or compensation

Employees can refuse but only if the refusal itself is reasonable.

If you’re unsure how to apply public holiday pay, awards or rostering obligations, feel free to reach out to the HR Staff n’ Stuff team.

We’re always happy to help.