Left an NZ job before 12 months? Holiday pay is 8% of gross earnings, less what was paid
Estimates only, not financial advice. What you type stays on your device. Checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026.If a New Zealand job ends before you are entitled to annual holidays, which is before 12 months of continuous employment, your final pay includes 8% of everything you earned since you started, less any holiday pay already paid in advance or pay-as-you-go. On $30,000 of gross earnings the 8% is $2,400.
2026-27 · Rates and rules read from the sources listed on this page (the earliest on 16 Oct 2026); they may have changed since.
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Under the Holidays Act 2003, employees in New Zealand are entitled to no less than 4 weeks of paid annual holidays after each 12 months of continuous employment. This page works out the pay for them in the three situations Employment New Zealand describes.
Taking holidays. Holiday pay is at least the greater of your ordinary weekly pay and your average weekly earnings. Ordinary weekly pay is what you are normally paid for a week, including regular allowances and overtime. Average weekly earnings are your gross earnings for the 12 months before the holiday divided by 52, or by the weeks you have worked if under a year.
Leaving after 12 months. Your final pay includes the entitled weeks you have not taken, paid at the higher of the two weekly rates, plus 8% of your gross earnings since your last anniversary. The 8% includes the other payments in your final pay, so this page adds the payment for the untaken weeks to the earnings you type.
The rest of the article, and all 6 questions about NZ Holiday Pay Calculator, are on the NZ Holiday Pay Calculator page.
Annual holiday pay is at least the greater of your ordinary weekly pay and your average weekly earnings, which are your gross earnings for the last 12 months divided by 52. On $1,200 ordinary weekly pay and $65,000 a year, the average is $1,250, so 2 weeks pay $2,500.
Your final pay includes the entitled annual holidays you have not taken, paid at the higher of ordinary weekly pay and average weekly earnings, plus 8% of gross earnings since your last anniversary, including the other payments in your final pay, less any holiday pay already paid.
An annual holiday payment of 8% of your gross earnings since you started, including the other payments in your final pay, less anything already paid for holidays taken in advance or as pay-as-you-go. On $30,000 of earnings the 8% is $2,400.
An employer and employee can agree to add at least 8% of gross earnings to each pay instead of 4 weeks of paid annual holidays, but only on a fixed-term agreement under 12 months or where work is too irregular to give holidays normally. Amounts already paid this way come off the 8% due at the end.
Rates and rules change; check the source before you rely on a figure.
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