National Day of Mourning Public Holiday

The Prime Minister has announced a one-off public holiday on 22 September 2022 for all Australian states and territories following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.  The day is to serve as a National Day of Mourning, and for the public to pay their respects to the Queen and her 70 years of service.

The Queen’s Birthday will also remain as a public holiday following the death of the monarch. While Queensland is set to mark the occasion on Monday 3 October and Western Australia on Monday 26 September, all other states hold their public holiday on the second Monday in June. The Queensland Premier has announced that the name of the holiday will change in the coming weeks, but confirmed it will continue to be observed on the same day, a move widely expected to be replicated in other states.

Employees required to work these upcoming public holidays, including the National Day of Mourning, may be entitled to public holiday penalty rates or a substitute day off in accordance with the applicable award or enterprise agreement. Subject to any alternate arrangements provided for in the applicable award or enterprise agreement, a full-time or part-time employee who would usually work on the public holiday, but does not do so, must be paid for their ordinary hours of work on that day.

If you are unsure of your obligations when it comes to public holidays, you should seek professional advice from our specialist employment lawyers at Aitken Legal.