Who is really on holiday on Anzac Day?

Dear Aunty B,

As if life isn’t hard enough!!! I just found out that Monday 27 April, is NOT a holiday.

At the start of the year we always do a calendar of holidays and we included 27 April as the Anzac Day holiday. But a supplier has just told me that it is business as usual.

We are a national business and the supplier is based in Melbourne. Does this make a difference? And what do I do? Staff have already made plans for their day off. This is a national holiday so why would each state have different rules about holidays?

It’s absolutely crazy. The Anzac’s didn’t exactly fight under a state flag.

Loony Laws,
Perth

Dear Loony Laws,

Hang on… what you are proposing could lead to all sorts of crazy ideas, such as one set of occupational health and safety laws. And the same payroll tax laws across the nation. And the same daylight saving times, and… when would it STOP??

Why on earth would we have one set of rules for all Australians and make life easier for businesses? At present we have a perfectly confusing system that mystifies everyone in Australia and overseas and drives business owners INSANE.

The reason for the confusion is Anzac Day falls on a Saturday this year, and some people have assumed that means a holiday will therefore occur on the nearest Friday or Monday. This is not the case in most states, where Saturday is a holiday and it’s work as usual on 24 April Friday 24 and 27 April Monday.

As for your staff, I suggest you let the ones who have made plans take that as an annual holiday. After all, it will look good on your P&L.

And following is the SmartCompany list on who is working where.

Australian Capital Territory
According to the Chief Minister’s Department of the ACT Government, residents will receive a public holiday on Monday 27 April.

New South Wales
According to NSW Office of Industrial Relations, the Anzac Day holiday will be held on Saturday 25 April. This means there will be no public holiday on Monday 27 April.

Northern Territory
According to Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment, the Anzac Day holiday will be held on Saturday 25 April. No public holiday on Monday

Queensland
According to Queensland’s Department of Employment and Industrial Relations, the Anzac Day holiday will be held on Saturday 25 April. No public holiday on Monday.

South Australia
According to SafeWork SA, the Anzac Day will be held on Saturday 25 April. No public holiday on Monday.

Tasmania
According to Workplace Standards Australia, the Anzac Day holiday will be held on Saturday 25 April. No public holiday on Monday 27 April.

Victoria
According to the Victorian Government’s Victoria Online site, the Anzac Day holiday will be held on Saturday 25 April. No public holiday on Monday.

Western Australia
Western Australia will observe the Anzac Day public holiday on Monday 27 April (except if you are a retail business in which case it is very confusing and you should ring the Dept of Commerce and request the Inspector of Retail Trading Hours).

Good luck!
Your Aunty B.