Everyone
Timeline for Employment Leave Act guidance and resources
We’re working closely with people and organisations affected by the new law to develop practical guidance to help them prepare for it. Our timeline shows when guidance will be available.
Guidance will be released in stages to help payroll providers, employers and employees (and their representatives and advisors) prepare for the changes.
The guidance for software providers and employers will help payroll professionals understand the new requirements.
We’ve outlined our plan for publishing guidance below. We’ll also be running information sessions. We’ll work towards this plan and review it as we develop guidance and resources.
These timeframes are indicative only. Providers and employers should consider their own system requirements, release schedules, and planning needs when determining implementation timing.
All guidance for each group will be published on this website as it becomes available. This ensures all parties have access to similar information.
Overview of guidance timeline
Below is an image of when Employment Leave Act guidance will be available from August 2026 to August 2029.
The detail of this guidance timeline is described in the content underneath this image.
![Full size image [PNG, 730 KB]](/assets/uploads/images/ELA-guidance-timeline.png){kind=link}
Guidance for payroll software providers
August 2026 to October 2026
- Payroll provider working group established.
- Priority technical system guidance topics identified and work begins on drafting these.
November 2026 to January 2027
- Priority technical system guidance available, including some complex and unusual scenarios, worked examples and core calculation methodologies.
- Worked examples and core calculation methodologies.
- Online information sessions.
February 2027 to April 2027
- Detailed guidance for complex and unusual scenarios.
May 2027 to July 2027
- Support payroll providers to complete testing and implementation of system changes.
- Develop guidance on complex and unusual implementation scenarios that may arise.
- Ongoing support throughout implementation period.
August 2027 to February 2028
- Continued online information sessions, including with the Labour Inspectorate, to understand how to be compliant under the Employment Leave Act.
March 2028 to July 2028
- Online and in-person sessions continue to be held to support implementation.
August 2028
- Employment Leave Act comes into effect.
- If employers have not updated their employment agreements by this point, they must provide whichever entitlement is more favourable to the employee (up until August 2029).
September 2028 to August 2029
- Ongoing guidance and support available during the first year of operation.
- After August 2029, the Employment Leave Act minimum entitlements will apply automatically.
Guidance for employers
August 2026 to October 2026
- No action is required at this stage. The Holidays Act remains in force and continues to apply.
- We will engage with key representative groups to identify areas where additional support and guidance are needed. This will help to inform the content and priorities for implementation guidance.
November 2026 to January 2027
- Employer-specific guidance released to help identify employment agreements, collective agreements and workplace policy and processes that may require updating.
- Guidance may include, and will be refined based on feedback from working groups:
- employment agreements, including both individual and collective agreements
- leave entitlement conversions and transitional arrangements
- hours, shifts, rosters and availability provisions
- public holiday and leave payment scenarios.
- Online information sessions held on released guidance.
February 2027 to April 2027
- Further guidance released on complex and edge-case implementation issues not covered in earlier guidance. This may include examples and scenarios relating to:
- complex working arrangements
- complex hours, shifts or roster patterns
- collective and individual agreement issues requiring further clarification
- leave entitlement, public holidays and leave payment scenarios
- issues identified through working groups and stakeholder feedback.
- Online information sessions held on released guidance.
May 2027 to July 2027
- Checklists, planning tools and examples developed to support employers to begin updating agreements, workplace policies and processes.
August 2027 to February 2028
- Continued online information sessions, including with the Labour Inspectorate, to understand how to be compliant under the Employment Leave Act.
March 2028 to July 2028
- Online and in-person sessions continue to be held to support implementation.
August 2028
- Employment Leave Act comes into effect.
- If employers have not updated their employment agreements by this point, they must provide whichever entitlement is more favourable to the employee (up until August 2029).
September 2028 to August 2029
- Ongoing guidance and support available during the first year of operation.
- After August 2029, the Employment Leave Act minimum entitlements will apply automatically.
Guidance for employees
August 2026 to October 2026
- No action is required at this stage. The Holidays Act remains in force and continues to apply.
- We will engage with key representative groups to identify areas where additional support and guidance are needed. This will help to inform the content and priorities for implementation guidance.
November 2026 to January 2027
- Employee guidance released alongside employer guidance to help employees understand:
- how the changes may affect them, and
- how to approach conversations with their employer
- Guidance may include information on:
- employment arrangements
- leave entitlements
- working arrangements, and
- discussions that may be needed before implementation.
- Consider how existing leave balances may be affected.
- Online information sessions held on released guidance.
February 2027 to April 2027
- Further employee guidance released on complex or less common situations not covered in earlier guidance. This may include information about:
- complex working arrangements
- agreement or workplace policy changes that may affect specific groups of employees
- common questions raised through employee representatives and stakeholder engagement.
- Online information sessions held on released guidance.
May 2027 to July 2027
- Information and support resources developed to help employees understand the changes and participate in discussions with their employer.
August 2027 to February 2028
- Continued online information sessions, including with the Labour Inspectorate, to understand how to be compliant under the Employment Leave Act.
March 2028 to July 2028
- Online and in-person sessions continue to be held to support implementation.
August 2028
- Employment Leave Act comes into effect.
- If employers have not updated their employment agreements by this point, they must provide whichever entitlement is more favourable to the employee (up until August 2029).
September 2028 to August 2029
- Ongoing guidance and support available during the first year of operation.
- After August 2029, the Employment Leave Act minimum entitlements will apply automatically.