Annual leave and holiday pay

Annual leave provides for a period of paid time away from work for permanent and fixed term staff. If your employment is casual, you will instead receive holiday pay in lieu of leave.

Your annual leave/holiday pay entitlements are included in your employment agreement.

Under the Holidays Act 2003, staff are able to request that the University pays out in cash up to one week of their annual leave entitlement a year. In accordance with the provisions of the Act, the University has decided that it will not allow annual leave to be cashed up.

View and download employment agreements

Permanent and fixed term staff

All permanent and fixed term staff (both academic and general) are entitled to paid annual leave. The exact amount of leave you are entitled to varies according to your employment agreement. The University has a common annual leave anniversary date of 1 December.

Christmas/New Year close down period

The University observes a close-down period between Christmas and New Year to provide as many staff as possible with the opportunity to enjoy an extended break. Where practicable, departments are expected to be closed for the entire close-down period. It is expected staff take annual leave at that time.

In relation to staff with clinical duties with a District Health Board, the close down period does not apply. In this circumstance, staff are not expected to be on annual leave from the University, unless they have had leave approved, and will be paid in the usual way.

Further information regarding the Christmas/New Year close-down period is available in the Annual Leave Policy.

2024/2025 Christmas and New Year leave dates

• Tuesday, 24 December 2024 – annual leave
• Wednesday, 25 December 2024 – public holiday
• Thursday, 26 December 2024 – public holiday
• Friday, 27 December 2024 – annual leave
• Monday, 30 December 2024 – annual leave
• Tuesday, 31 December 2024 – annual leave
• Wednesday, 1 January 2025 – public holiday
• Thursday, 2 January 2025 – public holiday

Download the provisional close-down dates for future years

Booking annual leave

Application for and approval of annual leave is made via the Staff Web Kiosk.

Annual Leave Balances in the Web Kiosk

Your annual leave balance is shown in the Web Kiosk. There are three leave balances shown, they are made up as follows:

• Actual balance is your balance as of 1 December, less any leave taken or future leave bookings made since that date.
• Pro-rata balance is the amount of leave you have accumulated since your last 1 December anniversary date, or your start date, whichever is the most recent.
• Total balance is the amount of leave you are currently able to apply for. This is the actual and pro-rata balances added together. This gives you an accurate and up-to-date total of your annual leave entitlement shown as an “earn-as-you-go” basis on the Staff Web Kiosk.

Book annual leave using the Staff Web Kiosk

Casual staff

Casual staff are entitled to holiday pay. This accrues at 8% of your gross earnings, and is paid as you go. This is calculated and shown as a separate payment of 8% of your gross earnings for each pay period.