Anzac Day 2026 on a Saturday: Who Gets Monday Off?

Anzac Day 2026 falls on Saturday 25 April. If you work Monday to Friday, you might be wondering: do I get the Monday off instead?

The answer depends entirely on which state or territory you're in. Unlike most other public holidays, Anzac Day has special rules around substitute days — and they're not consistent across the country.

Some states automatically give workers a substitute public holiday on the following Monday when Anzac Day lands on a weekend. Others don't. And the difference means real money: if Monday 27 April is a public holiday in your state, you either get the day off (paid, if you're permanent) or you get public holiday penalty rates if you work. If it's not a public holiday, it's just a normal Monday.

This catches people out every time Anzac Day falls on a Saturday or Sunday. The rules haven't changed for years, but most people only think about it when it actually happens — and by then they've already been rostered on without realising they're missing out.

The actual day — Saturday 25 April — is a public holiday in every state and territory, no question. If you work that Saturday, you get public holiday penalty rates regardless of where you are. The only question is what happens on the Monday.

Let's break it down state by state.

Here's the full picture for Anzac Day 2026. Check your state carefully — getting this wrong could cost you a day's pay or a day off.

State/Territory	Sat 25 April (Anzac Day)	Mon 27 April (Substitute)
NSW	Public Holiday	Public Holiday (substitute)
ACT	Public Holiday	Public Holiday (substitute)
SA	Public Holiday	Public Holiday (substitute)
QLD	Public Holiday	Normal working day
VIC	Public Holiday	Normal working day
WA	Public Holiday	Normal working day
TAS	Public Holiday	Normal working day
NT	Public Holiday	Normal working day

So if you're in NSW, ACT, or SA, you effectively get a long weekend — Saturday is the actual Anzac Day public holiday, and Monday 27 April is the substitute. That means Monday-to-Friday workers in those states don't miss out just because the day fell on a weekend.

If you're in QLD, VIC, WA, TAS, or NT, there's no substitute Monday. Anzac Day is on the Saturday and that's it. If you don't normally work Saturdays, you don't get an extra day off. Tough luck, but that's the law in those states.

One thing to watch: your enterprise agreement might have its own substitute day provisions that are more generous than the state default. Some large employers give all staff the Monday off regardless of state. Check your agreement or ask your HR team.

If you work on Saturday 25 April — the actual Anzac Day — you're entitled to public holiday penalty rates in every state and territory. No exceptions. It doesn't matter that it's a Saturday; it's a gazetted public holiday and the penalty rate applies.

For most awards, that means:

• Full-time and part-time employees: 150% to 250% of base rate (most awards pay 250%)
• Casual employees: 225% to 275% of base rate (including casual loading)

On the national minimum wage of $24.10/hr at 250%, that's $60.25/hr. An 8-hour shift = $482.00.

Now here's where it gets interesting. If you're in NSW, ACT, or SA and you work Monday 27 April, you also get public holiday penalty rates for that day — because it's a substitute public holiday. Work both the Saturday and the Monday? That's two lots of public holiday rates.

But if you're in QLD, VIC, WA, TAS, or NT and you work Monday 27 April, it's just a normal Monday. You'll get your standard Monday rate — no penalty loading for a public holiday.

This is a common payroll mistake, especially for national businesses that operate across multiple states. If you're in NSW and your employer pays you a normal Monday rate on the 27th, that's underpayment. Check your payslip carefully.

Use our public holiday rates calculator to work out exactly what you should be earning, or plug your details into the penalty rates calculator for your specific award.

Same rules as any public holiday. Under section 114 of the Fair Work Act, your employer can request you to work on a public holiday, but you can refuse if the request is unreasonable or your refusal is reasonable.

The factors are identical to the ones we covered in detail in our Easter work rights article:

• Nature of the business (does it normally operate on public holidays?)
• Your personal circumstances
• How much notice you were given
• Whether it's your usual working day
• Your role and level of responsibility

For Anzac Day specifically, there's an added wrinkle. Many Australians attend dawn services, marches, or family commemorations. If you have genuine plans to attend an Anzac Day event, that's a perfectly reasonable basis for refusing a request to work — and your employer should respect that.

If your employer threatens adverse action for refusing — firing you, cutting your hours, rostering you off future shifts — that's a general protections breach. Penalties up to $19,800 for individuals and $99,000 for companies. Contact the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94 or visit fairwork.gov.au.

Put your refusal in writing. Keep records. And if you're unsure about your rights, use our can I be fired tool to check whether your employer's actions are lawful.

Your cheat sheet for Anzac Day 2026.

Detail	Info
Anzac Day	Saturday 25 April 2026
Substitute Monday (NSW, ACT, SA)	Monday 27 April 2026
Substitute Monday (QLD, VIC, WA, TAS, NT)	No substitute — normal working day
Penalty rate (typical)	225–275% casual / 150–250% permanent
Min wage at 250%	$60.25/hr ($482 for 8hrs)
Right to refuse	Yes — Fair Work Act s.114
Fair Work Ombudsman	13 13 94

States with Monday substitute holiday: NSW, ACT, SA

States without: QLD, VIC, WA, TAS, NT

What to do:

1. Check whether Monday 27 April is a public holiday in your state (see table above)
2. If you're working Saturday 25 April, confirm your payslip shows public holiday rates
3. If you're in NSW/ACT/SA and working Monday 27 April, confirm public holiday rates for that day too
4. If your employer isn't paying correctly, raise it in writing first, then contact Fair Work

Useful tools:

• Penalty Rates Calculator — your exact public holiday rate
• Public Holiday Rates Calculator — state-by-state breakdown
• Pay Calculator — take-home pay after tax
• Take Home Pay Calculator — see what actually hits your account
• Easter 2026 Work Rights — full guide to refusing public holiday work

Know your state. Know your rate. And if something looks wrong on your payslip, don't let it slide.