With Easter just around the corner, it's important to know how public holidays work and are paid while under lockdown.
The upcoming Easter public holidays are:
- Friday 10 April
- Monday 13 April
Your rights under the Holidays Act remain the same under lockdown. Specifically, our advice is that:
- The Covid-19 lockdown does not change any law around public holidays (or any employment law)
- The lockdown does not change 'what is otherwise a working day'
- If you work on a public holiday you are still entitled to time and a half and an alternative holiday (unless you don't normally work Friday/Monday in which case you will just get the time and a half)
- If you don't work on the public holidays you are entitled to a paid day off (unless you don't normally work Friday/Monday)
- If you have made alternative arrangements with your employer about your pay during the lockdown (as part of the wage subsidy for example) then these still need to be met; you can't be paid less than what was agreed because there are public holidays.