New Zealand Leave Entitlement Checker
Enter your length of continuous employment to see when your annual leave and sick leave entitlements start under the Holidays Act 2003. Free and instant.
Enter your total continuous service with this employer. Annual leave becomes available at 12 months, sick leave at 6 months.
Annual leave
Annual leave in 6 months
Sick leave
Up to 10 days sick leave
Annual leave
You reach the 12-month mark, when 4 weeks of annual holidays become available to take, in about 6 months. Before then the statutory entitlement has not vested, but you and your employer can agree to annual holidays in advance. If you leave before 12 months, holiday pay is generally 8 percent of gross earnings, less relevant amounts already paid.
Sick leave
You get 10 days of paid sick leave a year, first available after your first 6 months, with a further 10 days on each 12-month anniversary. Unused days carry over, capped at 20 days accumulated. The figure shown is the most you could have accrued if you had used none.
This checker uses the current Holidays Act 2003 thresholds (4 weeks annual leave after 12 months, 10 days sick leave after 6 months). The Holidays Act is being replaced by the Employment Leave Bill, which would change how leave accrues. See annual leave and holiday pay and sick leave. General information, not legal advice.
Annual Leave
An employee is entitled to 4 weeks of paid annual holidays after 12 months of continuous employment. Before 12 months the statutory entitlement has not vested, but annual holidays may be taken in advance by agreement. Holiday pay accrues (commonly 8 percent of gross earnings) and is paid out on termination. Holiday pay itself is the greater of your ordinary weekly pay or your average weekly earnings. See annual leave and holiday pay.
Sick Leave
Employees get 10 days of paid sick leave a year, first available after 6 months, then a further 10 days on each 12-month anniversary. Unused sick leave carries over, capped at a maximum of 20 days accumulated. The Holidays Act 2003 is being replaced by the Employment Leave Bill, which would move to hours-based accrual from day one, so these thresholds may change. See our sick leave page.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do I get annual leave in New Zealand?
Four weeks of paid annual holidays become available to take after 12 months of continuous employment. Before then, you can agree with your employer to take annual holidays in advance. Holiday pay is payable if you leave, subject to deductions for amounts already paid.
When do I get sick leave?
Ten days of paid sick leave a year become available after your first 6 months of employment, with a further 10 days on each 12-month anniversary, capped at 20 days accumulated.
Is holiday pay 8 percent?
For an employee who leaves before completing 12 months, holiday pay is generally paid as 8 percent of gross earnings. Once entitled to take annual holidays, holiday pay is the greater of ordinary weekly pay or average weekly earnings.
Is this legal advice?
No. This is general information about New Zealand employment law. For your own situation, contact Employment New Zealand or a lawyer.
This checker uses the current Holidays Act 2003 thresholds. It is general information, not legal advice, and the law is changing under the Employment Leave Bill. Confirm your entitlements with Employment New Zealand.
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