Easter 2026 Public Holiday Pay Rates: What You Get Paid Good Friday to Easter Monday
Easter 2026 falls April 3-6. Full-time workers get paid for Good Friday, Saturday, and Easter Monday. Casuals get 225-275% loading. See exact rates by award and state.
Which days are public holidays over Easter 2026?
Easter 2026 falls from Friday 3 April to Monday 6 April. Good Friday (3 April) and Easter Saturday (4 April) are public holidays in all states and territories. Easter Sunday (5 April) is a public holiday in ACT, NSW, and Queensland only. Easter Monday (6 April) is a public holiday in all states and territories. Easter Tuesday is only a public holiday in Tasmania (for some awards and state government employees). If you are a full-time or part-time employee who normally works on these days, you are entitled to be absent and still receive your ordinary pay. If you work on a public holiday, you are entitled to penalty rates under your award or enterprise agreement.
Easter penalty rates by employment type
Penalty rates for working on public holidays vary by award but are typically: full-time and part-time employees receive 200-250% of their base rate (double time to double time and a half), while casual employees receive 225-275% of their base rate (this includes the 25% casual loading on top). Under the General Retail Industry Award, for example, full-time employees get 225% on public holidays and casuals get 250%. Under the Hospitality Award, full-time employees get 250% and casuals get 275%. Under the Fast Food Award, full-time employees get 250% and casuals get 275%. Some enterprise agreements may have different rates, so always check your specific agreement. If you are asked to work on Easter and your award provides penalty rates, your employer cannot pay you less than the award rate.
Can my employer make me work on Easter?
Under the National Employment Standards, an employer can request you work on a public holiday, but only if the request is reasonable. You can refuse if the refusal is reasonable. Factors considered include: the nature of the workplace (hospitals, retail, hospitality commonly operate on public holidays), your personal circumstances including family responsibilities, whether you were given adequate notice, your employment status (full-time vs casual), whether you would receive penalty rates, and the operational needs of the business. If you normally work on the day the public holiday falls, it is more likely to be considered a reasonable request. If you do not normally work that day, you generally cannot be required to come in. Disputes about reasonableness can be taken to the Fair Work Commission.
Easter pay for part-time and casual employees
Part-time employees who normally work on a day that falls on a public holiday are entitled to be absent and receive their ordinary pay for those hours — they do not lose income. If the public holiday falls on a day they do not normally work, there is no entitlement to extra pay. Casual employees have no entitlement to paid days off, so if they do not work on Easter, they receive no pay. However, if they do work, they receive the public holiday penalty rate under their award (typically 225-275% of the base rate). Some awards also provide a substitute day or additional loading for Easter Saturday, so check your specific award. Use our Penalty Rates Calculator to see your exact Easter pay entitlement.
What if Easter falls on my regular day off?
If a public holiday falls on a day you would not normally work (for example, Easter Monday falls on a Monday and you work Tuesday to Saturday), you are generally not entitled to a substitute day or extra pay under the NES. However, some awards and enterprise agreements do provide for a substitute day — check your specific instrument. For shift workers, some awards provide that if the public holiday falls on a rostered day off, you receive an additional day of annual leave or an extra day's pay. Full-time employees on a compressed work week (e.g., four 10-hour days) should check whether their award treats the public holiday based on the calendar day or based on their roster pattern.
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Official resources
General information and estimates only — not legal, financial, or tax advice. Always verify with the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified professional.
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