October 12, 2026

public holiday

Know your penalty rates this October long weekend

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NSW Nurses and midwives asked us to clarify what they’re entitled to this Labour Day Long Weekend. We’ve collated this information to help.

Public Sector

In the NSW Public Health System, entitlements for public holidays are set out in the Public Health System Nurses and Midwives’ (State) Award 2023 and depend upon your employment status and how you are rostered. The below table sets out a summary of the entitlements:

Public Holiday entitlements table

* usually required to work when rostered on

*** see explanation under Full-time: Seven-day basis

See full definitions of employment status and more info here: Public Holidays Know Your Rights fact sheet.  

All Other Sectors

In the private health system, public holiday entitlements will vary from employer to employer, including when the Additional Public Holiday falls. Check your agreement or ask your employer.   

If you have any questions about your public holiday entitlements, or if there is an issue with your public holiday pay, please consider contacting your workplace payroll department and notify your manager in the first instance.   

As your union representatives, the NSWNMA can assist you if your employer refuses to resolve your pay issue.   

Should you require further advice about your public holiday entitlements please do not hesitate to contact us in any of the following ways (please include your name, membership number, and a brief description of your enquiry):  

  • By calling your union on 02 8595 1234 (Sydney Metro), 1300 367 962 (Regional/Rural NSW or Interstate), OR +61 2 8595 1234 (Overseas).  

To understand the benefits of being a NSWNMA union member or to join your union, please visit this page. 

Know your penalty rates this King’s Birthday Long Weekend

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Nurses and midwives asked us to clarify what they’re entitled to this King’s Birthday Long Weekend. We’ve collated this information to help.

PUBLIC SECTOR 

In the NSW Public Health System, entitlements for public holidays are set out in the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award and depend upon your employment status and how you are rostered. The below table sets out a summary of the entitlements:

*usually required to work when rostered on 

^see explanation under Full-time: Seven-day basis 

See full definitions of employment status and more info here: Public Holidays Know Your Rights fact sheet. 

ALL OTHER SECTORS

In the private health system, public holiday entitlements will vary from employer to employer, including when the Additional Public Holiday falls. Check your agreement or ask your employer.  

If you have any questions about your public holiday entitlements, or if there is an issue with your public holiday pay, please consider contacting your workplace payroll department and notify your manager in the first instance.  

As your union representatives, the NSWNMA can assist you if your employer refuses to resolve your pay issue.  

Should you require further advice about your public holiday entitlements please do not hesitate to contact us in any of the following ways (please include your name, membership number, and a brief description of your enquiry): 

  • By submitting an enquiry on Member Central 
  • By logging an enquiry on the NSWNMA Mobile App 
  • By sending an email to issues@nswnma.asn.au 
  • By calling your union on 02 8595 1234 (Sydney Metro), 1300 367 962 (Regional/Rural NSW or Interstate), OR +61 2 8595 1234 (Overseas). 

To understand the benefits of being a NSWNMA union member or to join your union, please visit this page. 

Know Your Rights – April Public Holiday Penalty Rates 2026

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With a few public holidays coming up this April, know what you’re entitled to as a nurse or midwife. 

The public holidays this April are Good Friday (Friday, 3 April 2026), Easter Saturday (Saturday, 4 April 2026), Easter Sunday (Sunday, 5 April 2026), Easter Monday (Monday, 6 April 2026), Anzac Day (Saturday, 25 April 2026), and Anzac Day – Additional Public Holiday (Monday, 27 April 2026). 

PUBLIC SECTOR 

In the NSW Public Health System, entitlements for public holidays are set out in the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award and depend upon your employment status and how you are rostered. The below table sets out a summary of the entitlements:

*usually required to work when rostered on 

^see explanation under Full-time: Seven-day basis 

See full definitions of employment status and more info here: Public Holidays Know Your Rights fact sheet. 

ALL OTHER SECTORS

In the private health system, public holiday entitlements will vary from employer to employer, including when the Additional Public Holiday falls. Check your agreement or ask your employer.  

If you have any questions about your public holiday entitlements, or if there is an issue with your public holiday pay, please consider contacting your workplace payroll department and notify your manager in the first instance.  

As your union representatives, the NSWNMA can assist you if your employer refuses to resolve your pay issue.  

Should you require further advice about your public holiday entitlements please do not hesitate to contact us in any of the following ways (please include your name, membership number, and a brief description of your enquiry): 

  • By submitting an enquiry on Member Central 
  • By logging an enquiry on the NSWNMA Mobile App 
  • By sending an email to issues@nswnma.asn.au 
  • By calling your union on 02 8595 1234 (Sydney Metro), 1300 367 962 (Regional/Rural NSW or Interstate), OR +61 2 8595 1234 (Overseas). 

To understand the benefits of being a NSWNMA union member or to join your union, please visit this page. 

 

Know your penalty rates these holidays

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With a few public holidays coming up this summer, know what you’re entitled to as a nurse or midwife. 

The public holidays this summer are Christmas Day (Thursday, 25 December 2025), Boxing Day (Friday, 26 December 2025), New Year’s Day (Thursday, 1 January 2026), and Invasion Day (Monday, 26 January 2026). 

PUBLIC SECTOR 

In the NSW Public Health System, entitlements for public holidays are set out in the Public Health System Nurses and Midwives’ (State) Award 2023 and depend upon your employment status and how you are rostered. The below table sets out a summary of the entitlements:

*usually required to work when rostered on 

^see explanation under Full-time: Seven-day basis 

In each case, the public holiday rates are in substitution for any shift penalties that would normally have been paid, i.e. you are entitled to receive the higher of the two penalties, but not both. 

In relation to full time employees who don’t work on a seven-day basis, a day worker is defined as working their ordinary hours from Monday to Friday inclusive and who commences work on or after 6AM and before 10AM each day. A shift worker is defined as not a day worker. 

In relation to permanent part time employees, the award states at Clause 29. PART I(v) that when a public holiday falls on a day of the week that you regularly work on, and you are not required to work on that day, you are entitled to have that public holiday off without loss of pay, i.e. to be paid at your base rate of pay for the day while being ‘rostered on but not required’. Your employer cannot change the roster to avoid paying you for the public holiday. 

Nurses and midwives working in the public health sector also have 31 December 2025 as an Additional Public Holiday  

(NOTE: This Additional Public Holiday does not apply to NSWNMA union members working at Broken Hill Hospital, who will have had 1 September 2025 as their Additional Public Holiday this year, and will have 1 September 2026 as their Additional Public Holiday for 2026). 

You can find out more on the Public Holidays Know Your Rights fact sheet. 

PRIVATE SECTOR 

In the private health system, public holiday entitlements will vary from employer to employer, including when the Additional Public Holiday falls. Check your agreement or ask your employer.  

If you have any questions about your public holiday entitlements, or if there is an issue with your public holiday pay, please consider contacting your workplace payroll department and notify your manager in the first instance.  

As your union representatives, the NSWNMA can assist you if your employer refuses to resolve your pay issue.  

Should you require further advice about your public holiday entitlements please do not hesitate to contact us in any of the following ways (please include your name, membership number, and a brief description of your enquiry): 

  • By submitting an enquiry on Member Central 
  • By logging an enquiry on the NSWNMA Mobile App 
  • By sending an email to issues@nswnma.asn.au 
  • By calling your union on 02 8595 1234 (Sydney Metro), 1300 367 962 (Regional/Rural NSW or Interstate), OR +61 2 8595 1234 (Overseas). 

To understand the benefits of being a NSWNMA union member or to join your union, please visit this page. 

 

Know your penalty rates this January

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With the 26th of January falling on a Sunday, this year the gazetted public holiday is 27 January 2025.

In the NSW Public Health System, entitlements for public holidays are set out in the Public Health System Nurses and Midwives’ (State) Award 2023 and depend upon your employment status and how you are rostered. The below table sets out a summary of the entitlements:

* usually required to work when rostered on

*** see explanation under Full-time: Seven-day basis

In each case, the public holiday rates are in substitution for any shift penalties that would normally have been paid.

In relation to full time employees who work on other than a seven day basis, a day worker is defined as working their ordinary hours from Monday to Friday inclusive and who commences work on or after 6AM and before 10AM each day. A shift worker is defined as not a day worker.

In relation to permanent part time employees, the award provides at 29.PART I.(v) that when a public holiday falls on a day of the week which you regularly work and you are not required to work on that day, you are entitled to have that public holiday off without loss of pay. Your employer cannot change the roster to avoid paying you for the public holiday.

Nurses and midwives working in the public health sector also have 30 December 2024 as an Additional Public Holiday.

You can find out more on the Public Holidays Know Your Rights fact sheet.

In the private system, public holiday entitlements will differ from employer to employer, including when the Additional Public Holiday falls. To find the award or enterprise agreement that applies to you please click here.

If there’s an issue with your public holiday pay please notify your manager or payroll office in the first instance to discuss this issue. NSWNMA can assist you if you’re unable to resolve the problem with your employer.

Should you require advice about your public holiday entitlements please do not hesitate to contact the Member Rights Information Team on 02 8595 1234 (Metro) or 1300 367 962 (Rural) or by emailing us at issues@nswnma.asn.au with your name, membership number, and brief description of your enquiry.

Have further questions? NSWNMA Members can contact the Association for support here. To find out more benefits of being a member or to join the NSWNMA, visit this page.

Your penalty rates this Labour Day public holiday

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With the Labour Day Public Holiday on the Monday 7 October 2024, make sure you know what you’re entitled to if you’re working on this day.

In the NSW Public Health System, entitlements for public holidays are set out in the Public Health System Nurses and Midwives’ (State) Award 2022 and depend upon your employment status and how you are rostered. The below table sets out a summary of the entitlements:

* usually required to work when rostered on

*** see explanation under Full-time: Seven-day basis

In each case, the public holiday rates are in substitution for any shift penalties that would normally have been paid.

In relation to full time employees who work on other than a seven day basis, a day worker is defined as working their ordinary hours from Monday to Friday inclusive and who commences work on or after 6AM and before 10AM each day. A shift worker is defined as not a day worker.

In relation to permanent part time employees, the award provides at 29.PART I.(v) that when a public holiday falls on a day of the week which you regularly work and you are not required to work on that day, you are entitled to have that public holiday off without loss of pay. Your employer cannot change the roster to avoid paying you for the public holiday.

In the private system, public holiday entitlements will differ from employer to employer. To find the award or enterprise agreement that applies to you please click here.

If there’s an issue with your public holiday pay please notify your manager or payroll office in the first instance to discuss this issue. NSWNMA can assist you if you’re unable to resolve the problem with your employer.

Should you require advice about your public holiday entitlements please do not hesitate to contact our Information Team on 02 8595 1234 (Metro) or 1300 367 962 (Rural) or by emailing us at gensec@nswnma.asn.au

Have further questions? NSWNMA Members can contact the Association for support here. To find out more benefits of being a member or to join the NSWNMA, visit this page.

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