The public holidays over the Easter period this year are Good Friday (19th April) and Easter Monday (22nd April).
Is Easter Sunday a public holiday?
While Easter Sunday is not classed as a public holiday, it is a restricted trading day for some businesses (along with ANZAC Day until 1pm, Good Friday and Christmas Day). The starting point is that every shop (which includes a restaurant, café, bar, or other food business) must remain closed on Easter Sunday unless it falls into one of the exceptions. One exception is a shop whose principal business is selling prepared or cooked food ready to be eaten immediately in the form in which it is sold and another is if the shop is located in a district, or part of a district, in which a local Easter Sunday shop trading policy permits shops to open on Easter Sunday.
“Easter can get the better of many employers, as one of the more confusing public holiday periods. To alleviate any confusion, the Restaurant Association of New Zealand has an Easter 101 guide to your obligations over this upcoming public holiday period, available to all Restaurant Association members,” says Maris Bidois – CEO of the association. “ If you’re a business owner and would like to take the next step towards membership with the Association, organise a visit with one of our friendly team or you can join now.”
