Wakatipu employees should check their employment contracts and seek advice if needed before agreeing to work on statutory holidays.
Volunteers in the Queenstown Citizens Advice Bureau, on Stanley St, noticed a spike in inquiries from both employees and employers who sought clarification around "stat days", specifically Christmas, New Year's Day and Easter.
Bureau chairman Jon Bitcheno this week said it was important for workers to read the written employment contract that established their terms, conditions and hours. The bureau was available for free and confidential consultation and could direct individuals to employment lawyers, he said.
The Department of Labour said employees were entitled to up to four public holidays during the festive season, depending on their work or shift pattern.
As Christmas Day and New Year's Day fell on a Sunday this year, the holiday was transferred to the following Tuesdays, December 27 and January 3.
The department said Boxing Day and the day after New Year's Day would be observed on the days they fell: Monday, December 26 and Monday, January 2.
"If you or your employees would normally work on the Sunday that Christmas Day and New Year's Day fall on this year, the public holiday is observed on the day it falls - Sunday, December 25 and Sunday, January 1," the department said.
"This means the employee is entitled to that day off on pay."
There will be differences for casual and on-call workers when the public holidays are observed. The department has developed a holidays tool on its website which can be used to work out employee entitlements.
The department said following the Holidays Amendment Act 2010 an employer and employee could agree to transfer a public holiday from the day listed in the Holidays Act 2003 to another day, on the written agreement of the employee and the employer.
Mr Bitcheno said there were "some complexities around statutory holiday entitlement because people have different situations, part-time, casual and fixed shift.
"If you're not sure, ask. It costs nothing."
