Queen’s Memorial Public Holiday announced for 22 September 2022

Over the weekend, Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, announced that Thursday, 22 September 2022, will be observed as a public holiday across all of Australia in memory of Queen Elizabeth II, following her death on 8 September 2022.

In determining that a national public holiday was appropriate to mark a day of mourning, Prime Minister Albanese confirmed the decision was made “in consultation with all the state and territory leaders” adding, “this is a once in our lifetime event”.

Despite wide-spread concern voiced by business regarding the inconvenience and unexpected cost imposed by the extraordinary public holiday, Mr Albanese defended the short notice of the once-off event saying the announcement that Thursday, 22 September 2022 would be a national public holiday was made “as soon as it was possible to make that announcement”.

As a result of Thursday, 22 September 2022 being observed as a public holiday for the National Day of Mourning, all typical public holiday entitlements will flow to employees. This means work performed on Thursday, 22 September 2022, will attract the appropriate public holiday penalty prescribed by an employee’s governing instrument (often double time and a half), while full-time and part-time employees will be entitled to be absent without loss of pay (assuming their employer doesn’t reasonably require them to work). A limited number of Modern Awards also provide for full-time employees to receive the benefit of a public holiday that falls on a day they don’t work, though this is rare. Enterprise agreements may carry their own specific terms as to how work on public holidays is compensated.

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement regarding the National Day of Mourning, upcoming public holidays are scheduled as follows (list limited to eastern States and Territories):

DateDayHolidayRegion
22 September 2022ThursdayNational Day of MourningNational
23 September 2022FridayDay before AFL Grand FinalVIC
3 October 2022MondayBirthday of the SovereignQLD
3 October 2022MondayLabour DayNSW & ACT

Subscribers who have questions about their obligations to their employees are invited to contact our advice line on (07) 3220 3500.

Queensland businesses can confirm their options/restrictions for trading on public holidays here.

The Employer Services office will be CLOSED on 22 September 2022 and 3 October 2022.