The Easter Long Weekend - What you need to know for you and your business.
Easter is fast approaching. It’s the only four-day weekend of the year where eating chocolate eggs and bunnies in your pyjamas is encouraged. For those within the hospitality and events industry however, it’s often a different story. Regardless if your business is open or closed over Easter, there are a number of things you should consider, and common mistakes you should avoid.
Tip 1: Know when the public holidays are (they vary between state).
Here in NSW, we’ve got a four-day weekend. Be aware of how the public holidays will affect your employees, and your customers.
Friday 10th April - Good Friday
Saturday 11th April - Easter Saturday
Saturday 12th April - Easter Sunday
Monday 13th April - Easter Monday
Tip 2: Be aware of public holiday penalty rates, and how they apply to your business.
Public holiday penalty rates are notoriously expensive for small business employers. Having an understanding of your obligation as an employer this Easter period, will assist you in scheduling your staff and paying the right wages. And don’t worry, we’re here to help.
Remember, throughout NSW and the rest of Australia, employees that work on public holidays are paid their base rate of pay + additional penalties (applicable to Awards, Agreements or Employment Contracts).
Tip 3: Know the rights of your employees.
Do you want your staff to work over the Easter period? It is important to know, that under the Fair Work Act (s114) employers may request employees to work on public holidays, and employees may in response - refuse such a request upon reasonable grounds.
For full-time and part-time employees:
If a public holiday falls on a day when they are not usually rostered, then they are not required to work. As a result, they are not entitled to be paid for that day.
BUT, if the public holiday falls on a day when they are usually required to work, but are not required to work that day (due to your business being closed) - then you still need to pay them their base rate of pay.
Are you in need of urgent bartenders, baristas, wait staff, event staff, kitchen hands this Easter Long Weekend? SHFTHero has got you covered.
If you’re heading to the Royal Easter Show (3rd-14th April) be sure to keep an eye out for our hospitality and event freelancers, they will be manning food trucks and hospitality venues across the Showground!
Visit our website www.shfthero.com.au for more information, or reach out at hello@shfthero.com for a quote.
Our hospitality and events freelancers service these Sydney areas: Sydney CBD, Inner West, Eastern Suburbs, South Sydney, North Shore, Northern Beaches, Greater Western Sydney, Hills District, Hawkesbury, South-Western Sydney and Penrith.
As well as NSW Regional areas: Hunter, Southern Highlands, North Coast, South Coast, Blue Mountains.
