Public Holiday Pay Calculator
Work out your public holiday pay under your award: hourly rate, total pay and the award clause, for full-time, part-time and casual workers.
Last verified: 26 September 2026Public holiday pay rates by award
Percentages are of the minimum hourly rate for ordinary hours on a public holiday. Casual percentages already include the 25% casual loading. Dollar figures are for the first classification level, adult rates from 1 July 2026.
| Award | Full-time / part-time | Casual | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail AwardRetail Employee Level 1 ($27.81/hr) | 225%$62.57/hr | 250%$69.53/hr | cl 22.1, Table 12Casual: cl 22.1(b), Table 12 column 3Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Hospitality AwardHospitality Level 1 ($26.44/hr) | 225%$59.49/hr | 250%$66.10/hr | cl 29.2, Table 14Casual: cl 29.2(b), Table 14 column 3Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Fast Food AwardFast Food Employee Level 1 ($27.81/hr) | 225%$62.57/hr | 250%$69.53/hr | cl 21, Table 6Casual: cl 21, Table 6 (casual column)Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Restaurant AwardRestaurant Employee Level 1 ($26.44/hr) | 225%$59.49/hr | 250%$66.10/hr | cl 24.2, Table 8Casual: cl 24.2(b)–(c), Table 8 columns 3–4Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Clerks AwardClerical Level 1 ($26.97/hr) | 250%$67.43/hr | 275%$74.17/hr | cl 24.4(a)Casual: Schedule B.3.1 (casual adult employees)Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| SCHADS AwardSCHADS Level 1 ($27.55/hr) | 250%$68.88/hr | 275%$75.76/hr | cl 34.2(a)Casual: cl 34.2(d)Award text to 1 September 2026 |
| Aged Care AwardAged Care Employee Level 1 ($27.77/hr) | 250%$69.43/hr | 275%$76.37/hr | cl 29.2(a)(i) and (b)(ii) (ordinary pay plus an additional 150%)Casual: cl 29.2(c)(i)Award text to 1 September 2026 |
| Nurses AwardNursing Assistant — 1st year ($27.65/hr) | 200%$55.30/hr | 250%$69.12/hr | cl 28.2(a)(i)Casual: cl 28.2(a)(ii) (200% of the casual hourly rate)Award text to 1 August 2026 |
| Children's Services AwardLevel 1 — Introductory Educator ($28.81/hr) | 250%$72.03/hr | Not stated — check your award | cl 23.5(d)Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Cleaning AwardCleaning Services Level 1 ($27.08/hr) | 250% (part-time 265%)$67.70/hr | 275%$74.47/hr | cl 20.2, Table 7Casual: cl 20.2(c), Table 7 column 4Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Security AwardSecurity Officer Level 1 ($28.42/hr) | 250%$71.05/hr | 275%$78.16/hr | cl 20.2, Table 7Casual: cl 20.2(b), Table 7 column 3Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Pharmacy AwardPharmacy Assistant Level 1 ($27.81/hr) | 225%$62.57/hr | 250%$69.53/hr | cl 22.3, Table 6Casual: cl 22.3(a), Table 6 column 3Award text to 1 July 2026 |
| Hair & Beauty AwardHair & Beauty Level 1 ($27.81/hr) | 250%$69.53/hr | 250%$69.53/hr | cl 23.1, Table 14Casual: cl 23.2, Table 15Award text to 1 July 2026 |
Nurses Award casuals are paid 200% of the casual hourly rate (cl 28.2(a)(ii)), which works out to 250% of the minimum rate. Not included yet: Health Professionals and Support Services Award, because its health professional pay rates are being restructured from 1 October 2026 (FWC determination PR814029); Building and Construction General On-site Award, because public holiday pay depends on the type of work and the award does not state a single casual public holiday rate. For any other award, check your award’s penalty rates clause or use the public holiday rates checker.
Next public holidays by state
Coming up: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, Australia Day and Easter 2027, plus each state’s own days. Pick your state to see the next dates. They come from the Fair Work Ombudsman’s 2026 and 2027 public holiday lists.
| Date | Public holiday (NSW) |
|---|---|
| Mon, 5 Oct 2026 | Labour Day |
| Fri, 25 Dec 2026 | Christmas Day |
| Sat, 26 Dec 2026 | Boxing Day |
| Mon, 28 Dec 2026 | Boxing Day (additional) |
| Fri, 1 Jan 2027 | New Year's Day |
| Tue, 26 Jan 2027 | Australia Day |
| Fri, 26 Mar 2027 | Good Friday |
| Sat, 27 Mar 2027 | Easter Saturday |
Full list: New South Wales public holidays 2026 and 2027.
How public holiday pay works
If you work the public holiday, you are paid your award’s public holiday rate for every hour worked. Awards generally pay the public holiday rate instead of any weekend, evening or shift rate for those hours, not on top of it. Some awards also guarantee a minimum number of paid hours when you’re called in.
If you’re full-time or part-time and rostered off because of the public holiday, you’re paid your base rate of pay for the ordinary hours you would have worked that day (Fair Work Act 2009 s 116). If it falls on a day you don’t normally work, there’s nothing extra.
If you’re casual, you’re only paid for a public holiday if you work it — and then at the casual public holiday percentage, which already includes your 25% loading. Source: Fair Work Ombudsman, Not working on public holidays.
Several awards let full-time and part-time employees agree to a lower rate on the day plus paid time off instead — for example 125% plus a day added to annual leave under the Hospitality and Restaurant awards, or 100% plus time off under the Retail Award. The calculator shows these options in the notes for the awards that have them.
Public holiday pay questions
How is public holiday pay calculated?
Multiply the hours you work on the public holiday by your award's public holiday rate, which is a percentage of the minimum hourly rate for your classification. Under the Retail, Hospitality, Fast Food, Restaurant and Pharmacy awards it is 225% for full-time and part-time employees and 250% for casuals. The Clerks, SCHADS, Aged Care and Security awards pay 250% (275% for casuals). The Nurses Award pays 200% (casuals get 200% of the casual rate). A Retail Level 1 adult on $27.81 an hour earns $62.57 an hour full-time or $69.53 an hour casual on a public holiday (rates from 1 July 2026).
Do I get paid if I don't work on a public holiday?
If you are full-time or part-time and the public holiday falls on a day you would normally work, yes — you are paid your base rate of pay for the ordinary hours you would have worked (Fair Work Act 2009 s 116). The base rate doesn't include loadings, penalty rates or allowances. If the holiday falls on a day you don't normally work, there's no payment. Casual employees are not paid for public holidays they don't work.
Do casuals get paid more on public holidays?
Yes. Casuals get their award's casual public holiday percentage of the minimum hourly rate, and that percentage already includes the 25% casual loading — for example 250% under the Retail and Hospitality awards and 275% under the Clerks, SCHADS and Aged Care awards. Don't multiply your casual rate by the full-time percentage: a Hospitality Level 1 casual is paid $66.10 an hour on a public holiday (26.44 × 250%), not $74.36 (33.05 × 225%).
Is there a minimum number of hours I must be paid on a public holiday?
It depends on the award. The Hospitality and Restaurant awards pay full-time and part-time employees for at least 4 hours and casuals for at least 2 hours when they work a public holiday. The Clerks Award and the Children's Services Award pay at least 4 hours. The Retail, Fast Food, Pharmacy and Hair and Beauty awards have a 3-hour minimum engagement for casuals and part-time employees. The calculator applies the minimum where your award states it.
Can I refuse to work on a public holiday?
Your employer can ask you to work on a public holiday if the request is reasonable, and you can refuse if the request isn't reasonable or your refusal is reasonable (Fair Work Act 2009 s 114). Things that count include the nature of the workplace, your personal circumstances such as caring responsibilities, whether you're full-time, part-time or casual, whether you could expect to be asked, the pay you'd receive and how much notice you were given.
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General information and estimates only — not legal, financial or tax advice. Always check your specific award, agreement or contract, or a qualified professional, before you rely on the result.