Paid leave
in New Zealand.

SALARY PAYMENT IN New Zealand Dollar (NZD, $)

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New Zealand

Annual leave in New Zealand (holiday / vacation)

The Holidays Act (2003) sets out employees’ minimum entitlement to all forms of leave, including annual holiday. For every 12 months of continuous employment with an employer, employees in New Zealand earn a minimum of 4 weeks (20 days) of paid holiday. Many employers let employees take some of their annual holidays in advance.

All employees in New Zealand, no matter their length of time in employment, are entitled to up to 11 public holidays each year, when the public holidays fall on days that the employee would normally work.

The pay rate for annual holidays is different to the pay rate for public holidays. The pay rate for public holidays is, at least, time and a half. Employees who work on public holidays are also entitled to a paid alternative holiday.

Parental leave in New Zealand

The Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act (1987) establishes the minimum provisions for parental leave in New Zealand. New Zealand’s Inland Revenue is responsible for administering Parental leave payments, unless the employer includes their own parental leave cause in the employment agreement. The minimum provisions apply, unless the employment agreement includes better provisions.

New Zealand offers a number of forms of Parental Leave. Primary Carer leave can be applied for by both females and, under certain circumstances, males. Primary carer leave is one continuous period of 26 weeks. Primary Carer leave accounts for the Maori tradition of whāngai, a form of adoption that, usually, involves relatives becoming a child’s adoptive parents.

Extended Leave is available to parents who meet certain criteria, namely 6 or 12 months of continuous employment with the same employer.

Six months of continuous employment: 26 weeks of paid primary carer leave, with 4 weeks of unpaid extended parental leave.
Twelve months of continuous employment: 26 weeks of paid primary carer leave, with 26 weeks of unpaid extended leave.

Maternity leave in New Zealand

Standard maternity leave comes under the Primary Carer’s leave umbrella, i.e. a continuous period of 26 weeks. Extended leave is available on top of primary carer leave, if the primary carer meets certain continuous employment criteria.

For example, an expecting mother who meets the 12 month criteria may take an additional 26 weeks of unpaid leave on top of their primary carer’s leave, i.e. 52 weeks in total.

Pregnant females are also entitled to Special Leave on top of other forms of parental leave. Special leave allows for up to 10 days of unpaid leave for pregnancy-related reasons such as midwife appointments or scans.

In 2021, the Parental Leave and Employment Protection Act (1987) was amended to include Miscarriage Leave. The legislation gives both parents a right to three days’ paid leave in the event of a miscarriage or stillbirth.

Paternity leave in New Zealand

Paternity leave is called Partner’s Leave in New Zealand. The length of Partner’s Leave that the spouse or partner may take depends on how long they have been employed with the same employer.

6 months of continuous employment allows for 1 week of unpaid partner’s leave.
12 months of continuous employment allows for 2 weeks of unpaid partner’s leave.

The spouse or partner of the primary carer is also entitled to apply for extended leave.

Sick leave in New Zealand

The minimum sick leave entitlement in New Zealand is 10 days per year. Sick leave is paid and applies to employees who are sick or injured, or employees who have a dependent family member who is sick or injured.

Sick leave is available to employees who have six months of continuous employment with the same employer.

Bereavement and compassionate leave in New Zealand

Employees who meet certain eligibility criteria are entitled to three days of paid bereavement leave after the death of a family member. Family member is defined as; parents, spouses, children, grandparents, or parents-in-law.

To meet the eligibility criteria for bereavement leave, an employee must have been employed for 6 months by the same employer.

Employees are also entitled to 1 day of compassionate leave after the death of a distant relative or friend.

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FAQs

What is the minimum amount of annual leave per year in New Zealand?

The minimum amount of annual paid leave in New Zealand is 4 weeks or 20 days per year, depending on certain eligibility criteria. Employees are also entitled to public holidays.

What is the minimum amount of sick leave in New Zealand per year?

The minimum sick leave entitlement in New Zealand is 10 days per year. Paid sick leave is available to employees who have been employed with the same employer for at least 6 months.

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Paid leave
in New Zealand.

Annual leave in New Zealand (holiday / vacation)

Parental leave in New Zealand

Maternity leave in New Zealand

Paternity leave in New Zealand

Sick leave in New Zealand

Bereavement and compassionate leave in New Zealand

Hiring in New Zealand, Made Easy

FAQs

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

180+

100+

24x5

130+

180+

100+

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The Global Workforce Payment Platform

What to expect when you connect with Horizons

Paid leave in New Zealand.

Annual leave in New Zealand (holiday / vacation)

Parental leave in New Zealand

Maternity leave in New Zealand

Paternity leave in New Zealand

Sick leave in New Zealand

Bereavement and compassionate leave in New Zealand

Hiring in New Zealand, Made Easy

FAQs

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

180+

100+

24x5

130+

180+

100+

24x5

130+

The Global Workforce Payment Platform

What to expect when you connect with Horizons

Paid leave
in New Zealand.