How to turn 12 days of leave into 38
There’s nothing quite like heading back to the office after the festive season to make a person start plotting their next escape.
For those who got a rude shock after checking their available leave this week, there is some good news. Five out of 10 public holidays are Mondayised (or Tuesdayised) this year, with both Waitangi Day and Anzac Day falling on a weekend for the first time since the Holidays Act was changed in 2014.
That means there are a decent number of long weekends on the calendar for those who work Monday to Friday.
And with a bit of planning, those weekends can be transformed into some fairly decent time out.
Waitangi Day
One of 10 public holidays to be Mondayised this year, Waitangi Day falls on Saturday, February 6. Convert the three-day weekend into a four-day break by taking Friday, February 5 off and enjoy two short weeks.
Easter
In 2019, the moveable feast that is Easter fell just two days before
Anzac Day, meaning savvy workers could trade three days’ leave for a 10-day break.
The situation is only slightly less favourable this year, when Good Friday is April 2 and Easter Monday falls on April 6. Taking four days off – either March 29 to April 1 or April 7 to 10 – will take the break from four days to 10.
Anzac Day
Officially marked on April 25, Anzac Day is another Mondayised public holiday so April 26 becomes another opportunity for a sleep in. Why not tack Friday, April 23 on to the long weekend and make the most of it?
Queen’s Birthday
While Her Majesty will turn 95 in April, New Zealand is set to mark the occasion on Monday, June 7. By taking the Friday (June 4) off, you can have a right royal long weekend ahead of the hard slog through our quite poorly planned, really, public holidayfree winter.
Labour Day
We’re all desperate for a breather by the time Labour Day (Monday, October 25) rolls around so lock in leave for Friday (October 22) early if you want to nab a fourday break.
Christmas and New Year
Christmas and Boxing Day both land on the weekend this year, meaning they’re Mondayised and Tuesdayised.
Depending on your leave balance heading into December, you have a couple of options to stretch out the silly season.
Cashing in one day of annual leave for Christmas Eve creates a festive long weekend and dropping another on New Year’s Eve will give you two in a row.
Like Christmas and Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and January 2 will be Mondayised and Tuesdayised so by adding December 29 and 30 to the mix, you’ll be free to eat, drink and be merry for a whopping 12 days.