Preparing for Easter Sunday
If you are a “shop” business that is permitted to open on Easter Sunday, then it is important that you start planning ahead for Easter now. With amendments to the Shop Trading Hours Act taking effect, in order to require an employee to work on Easter Sunday (either in the shop or doing “back” work such as stock takes) you’ll need to make sure you can tick off the following:
- You have to give your employees at least four weeks’ notice and no more than eight weeks’ notice if you intend to roster them to work.
- That notice must be in writing and is to include advice that they have a right to decline to work if they wish. If the employee does decline to work, they don’t have to give you a reason, but must give that advice in writing within 14 days of receiving the notice.
For this coming year, the notice requirements mean that you cannot give notice any later than 4 March 2018.
If you would like help drafting a letter notifying your employees that you wish them to work, and advising them of their rights and obligations, then we would be more than happy to help.