The Public Holidays align – review work and rostering arrangements

The ACT Government has declared Anzac Day a public holiday to align with the New South Wales calendar, even though it falls on a weekend. This means that both Saturday, 25 April 2026 and Monday, 27 April 2026 will be observed as public holidays.

This means that members will face multiple long weekends in April 2026 resulting in a compressed working period.

Accordingly, members are encouraged to review workloads, staffing arrangements and contractual obligations well in advance.

What does the Award say?

Under the Building and Construction General On-Site Award 2020, public holidays attract specific entitlements.

Working on a Public Holiday

Under the NES, employees are entitled to be absent from work on a public holiday, unless an employer and employee agree to substitute the public holiday for another day.

Where employees are required to work on a public holiday:

• An employer may request an employee to work, provided the request is reasonable
• Employees who work on Public Holidays, or substituted days, must be paid 200% of the ordinary hourly rate. The ordinary hourly rate is calculated as the base hourly rate including those allowances the employee is entitled to for all purposes of the Award.

It is important to note that public holiday penalty rates will apply for Saturday 25 April 2026.

Rostered Day Off (RDO) Arrangements

According to clause 16.4(c) of the Award, an employer must not require an employee to take an RDO on a day that is a public holiday. In fact it is an express provision of the Award that 0.4 of one hour accrues towards an RDO for any public holiday.

The clustering of public holidays in April makes it critical for members to carefully review RDO Calendars and reschedule where appropriate. An employer and employee may agree to change the day scheduled to take the RDO by:

• In the event of individual rostering arrangements, by agreement between the employer and employee; or
• In the event of an RDO roster, by majority agreement with the employees.

Workload and project planning

With fewer working days available, members should take steps now to manage workloads and project timelines.

Where appropriate, it is recommended that members:

• review construction programs to identify potential delays and issue an extension of time in line with the contract
• sequence works to maximise productivity between public holidays
• confirming subcontractor availability during shortened weeks
• assess whether staff will be available to meet deadlines

The alignment of the Anzac Day public holiday, combined with the Easter period, will result in a fragmented working month in April 2026.

Members should take proactive steps now to review workloads, adjust RDO arrangements where appropriate, and ensure compliance with Award obligations. Careful planning, clear communication and early intervention will be key to minimising disruption and managing costs.

For questions about your workplace obligations, please contact the Workplace Relations Team:

📞 (02) 6175 5900
📧 workplace@mba.org.au