Use our tool to determine whether you can trade on restricted shop trading days. These days are:
- Christmas Day (a public holiday)
- Good Friday (a public holiday)
- ANZAC Day, until 1.00 pm on 25 April (a public holiday)
- Easter Sunday (not a public holiday)
How to use the tool
- Choose the day in question, out of ANZAC Day (until 1:00pm on 25 April), Christmas Day, Easter Sunday, and Good Friday. These are the days where restricted shop trading applies.
- Work through the tool for that day. If you want to find out about more than one day, work through the tool again for each day.
Question 1
Is your business a shop?
Read the definition of 'shop', or contact us on 0800 209 020 if you are unsure.
Answer
If your business is not a shop, shop trading restrictions don't apply to you.
If you do want your employees to work on ANZAC Day, Chrismas Day or Good Friday, these are public holidays and you will have to pay employees who work at least time and a half for the hours worked and if it is an otherwise working day for them, give them an alternative holiday.
Easter Sunday is not a public holiday, so if you want to open on Easter Sunday you will have to pay your employees their usual rate for working on a Sunday (or as specified in their employment agreement for Easter Sunday.
Question 4
You must notify your employee between 4 and 8 weeks before Easter Sunday that they have a right to refuse to work. You must follow the correct process for this. They have to notify you within 14 days of getting the notice from you, if they don't want to work. You can't compel them to work. This applies even if you are not wanting to trade (eg do a stocktake).
You must pay your employees their usual rate for a Sunday or as specified in their employment agreement for an Easter Sunday. It is not a public holiday so you don't need to provide an alternative holiday.
Are you wanting to trade on Easter Sunday?
Question 6
Does your local council have an Easter Sunday shop trading policy that applies to you? If you are unsure, check with your local territorial authority (council).
Question 7
Are you wanting to trade on ANZAC Day before 1pm, or Christmas Day or Good Friday?
Answer
You can trade in accordance with the local policy.
Answer
Your only restrictions for restricted shop trading in this instance are following the correct process for your employees.
Answer
Restricted shop trading provisions don't apply to you in this instance.
Question 11
Are you a shop or garden centre that can open with conditions? Read the conditions here, or contact us on 0800 209 020 to make sure.
Answer
You can trade in accordance with your conditions.
Question 13
Do you have an area exemption? Read the area exemptions here, or contact us on 0800 209 020 to make sure.
Answer
You can trade in accordance with your area exemption.
Answer
You are not able to trade on this day. You can conduct other duties (eg stocktaking). Remember, you will still need to notify employees by using the correct process.
Question 16
Are you a shop or garden centre that can open with conditions? Read the conditions, or contact us on 0800 209 020 to make sure.
Answer
You can open in accordance with your conditions. If you want an employee to work on this day, you can require them to work, they can agree to, or if it is in their employment agreement, you can require them to. If they do work on the day you will have to pay employees at least time and a half for the hours worked and if it is an otherwise working day for them, give them an alternative holiday.
Question 18
Do you have an area exemption? Check the area exemptions#shops-that-can-open-with-exemption, or contact us on 0800 209 020 if you are unsure.
Answer
You can open in accordance with your area exemption. If you want an employee to work on this day, you can require them to work, they can agree to, or if it is in their employment agreement, you can require them to. If they do work on the day you will have to pay employees at least time and a half for the hours worked and if it is an otherwise working day for them, give them an alternative holiday.
Answer
You are not able to trade on this day. You can conduct other duties (eg stock taking). If you want an employee to work on this day, you can require them to work, they can agree to, or if it is in their employment agreement, you can require them to. If they do work on the day, you will have to pay employees at least time and a half for the hours worked, and if it is an otherwise working day for them, give them an alternative holiday.