Businesses should be locking in their Christmas and New Year workforce arrangements now, with employers being urged to check leave balances, shutdown rules, staffing requirements and public holiday costs before the end-of-year rush.
We Are HR Managing Director Grant Barrow said early planning could remove one source of stress from an already busy period for employers and employees.
“The earlier employers can plan for the end-of-year period the better!” Grant said.
Businesses should first determine whether they will remain open, reduce operations or shut down, and how many employees will be needed. Employers should then check the awards, enterprise agreements and employment contracts applying to their workforce.
For businesses planning a temporary shutdown, many modern awards require at least 28 days’ written notice before employees can be directed to take accrued annual leave. Requirements vary, making it important to check the relevant award or agreement.
Employees without enough accrued annual leave generally cannot simply be forced onto unpaid leave. Depending on the applicable workplace instrument, options agreed between the employer and employee can include annual leave in advance, accrued time off or leave without pay.
Grant recommended checking leave balances early and speaking with employees who may fall short before the shutdown begins.
Competing Christmas leave requests can also create challenges for businesses that continue trading. Grant recommended setting a deadline, potentially as early as September, so applications can be assessed together rather than relying on a “first in, first approved” approach.
Employers should use consistent criteria, which could include considering who had leave over the same period the previous year. Where a request cannot be fully accommodated, businesses could discuss alternatives such as a shorter break or different start date.
“Key reminder message to your staff – don’t go and book your holiday before your leave is approved,” Grant said.
Employers can refuse annual leave requests on reasonable grounds, including genuine operational requirements or insufficient staffing, but requests cannot be unreasonably refused.
Public holidays require planning too
Queensland’s statewide public holidays across the Christmas and New Year period are:
- Thursday, December 24, 2026: Christmas Eve, part-day public holiday from 6pm to midnight
- Friday, December 25, 2026: Christmas Day
- Saturday, December 26, 2026: Boxing Day
- Monday, December 28, 2026: Additional public holiday for Boxing Day
- Friday, January 1, 2027: New Year’s Day
Employees have a right to be absent on a public holiday, although employers can make a reasonable request for them to work. Whether a request or refusal is reasonable depends on factors including operational requirements, personal circumstances, notice and applicable penalty rates.
Grant said businesses should discuss availability early rather than simply roster employees and expect them to work, noting public holiday rates may make the shifts attractive to some employees.
Payroll also needs to be considered, particularly where public holidays affect normal paydays or timesheet approvals. Businesses should ensure employees working through the period know who to contact about urgent issues if their usual managers are on leave.
“The common mistakes I see relate to a lack of communication and planning, which in turn fuels confusion, disputes, disgruntlement, and absenteeism,” Grant said.
Christmas workforce planning checklist
Before December, employers should:
- Confirm shutdown dates, trading arrangements and required staffing.
- Check applicable awards, agreements and contracts.
- Review leave balances and address potential shortfalls early.
- Set a deadline and process for competing Christmas leave requests.
- Confirm public holiday staffing and employee availability.
- Lock in payroll, timesheet and management coverage arrangements.
For City of Moreton Bay businesses, settling leave, shutdown, rostering and payroll arrangements early can help reduce disputes and absenteeism while providing greater certainty for both employers and employees.
