Overview
When Christmas Eve hits, most of us are already feeling the festive spirit. If you work in retail or hospitality, however, you might have to press pause on your merriment until your shift is over. Even worse — while the majority of folks are getting into the swing of seasonal celebrations, those left serving food and drinks, manning store counters and just working in general aren't being compensated more than their usual rates.
Following in the footsteps South Australia and the Northern Territory, the Queensland Government has just implemented a solution: turning Christmas Eve into a public holiday. Well, turning part of December 24 into a public holiday, at least. Announced back in August and now passed into law on Wednesday, November 27, the move sees penalty rates come into effect once 6pm hits — meaning that anyone left working when it's literally the evening before Christmas will be paid accordingly.
Receiving community support after a public consultation period that ended in September, with 71 percent of submissions in favour of the change, the part-day public holiday applies from this year — so yes, this Christmas is covered. Affected workers will receive penalty rates of up to 250 percent of their normal wages, as well as the option not to work, where reasonable.
For further information, visit the Queensland Government website.