Public Holidays in Australia
The usual holiday entitlement is four to six weeks of paid leave depending on the job and the award to which it relates. But being the fun-loving people that Australians are they do not believe that they should have to scrape by with their basic wage while they are enjoying themselves on their 'hols', so they have introduced a wonderful idea called leave loading. This is an exceptionally agreeable scheme whereby workers are paid an extra 17.5 per cent of their full wage while they are on holiday. All full-time employees are entitled to this bonus which some people would call a luxury but which the workers will tell you is an absolute necessity. Some firms offer a form of sabbatical leave after ten years service with a firm.
There are also national holidays on:
1st January
27th January
Easter Friday
Easter Sunday
Easter Monday
25th April
1st May (except Queensland and Northern Territory)
4th May (Northern Territory only)
8th June (except Western Australia)
25th December
26th December (except South Australia)
28th December (South Australia only).
Individual states also have their own bank holidays.
