Staff Working Over Easter?
- Linda
- Apr 14
- 2 min read
📅 Easter & ANZAC Day Public Holidays: What South Australian Small Business Owners Need to Know
As Easter and ANZAC Day approach, it’s important for South Australian small business owners to plan ahead—not just for rostering, but also for the financial implications of trading on public holidays.
🐣 Declared Easter Public Holidays in South Australia (2025)
Good Friday – 18th April
Easter Saturday – 19th April
Easter Sunday - 20th April
Easter Monday – 21st April
🌺 ANZAC Day
Friday, 25 April – ANZAC Day (a national public holiday)
💼 What This Means for Your Business
If you plan to open your business on any of the above public holidays, it’s essential to be aware of your obligations as an employer. In most industries, employees who work on declared public holidays are entitled to public holiday penalty rates, as outlined in the relevant modern award or enterprise agreement.
These higher rates of pay—often double time or more—can significantly increase your wage costs for those days. While public holidays may attract more foot traffic in some industries (like hospitality or retail), that extra business can easily be offset if you're not factoring in the increased labour expenses.
✅ Things to Consider Before Deciding to Open:
Are you permitted to trade? Check any trading restrictions that might apply to your business type or location.
Do you expect sufficient demand? Will the customer volume justify the extra staffing costs?
Can you staff the day willingly? Employees can reasonably decline to work on public holidays under the Fair Work Act, unless the request is reasonable and refusal is unreasonable.
Have you budgeted for penalty rates? Make sure the higher wages are factored into your cash flow and pricing strategies.
💡 Pro Tip:
Even if your business is typically busy over holidays, it's worth doing a quick profit margin check. Sometimes closing for a day or reducing trading hours is a smarter move than operating at a loss due to penalty rates.
Stay compliant and stay profitable. A little planning now can save you a lot of stress (and dollars) later!
If you need help understanding the relevant award rates or compliance requirements, check out the FairWork website https://www.fairwork.gov.au/employment-conditions/public-holidays
Comments