Many shops expected to open for holiday

The Mondayisation of Anzac Day means many retailers nationwide will be open but business owners may face bigger wage bills.

Five out of 10 public holidays roll over to the Monday (or Tuesday in one case) this year.

Both Waitangi Day and Anzac Day fell on a weekend for the first time since the Holidays Act was changed in 2014.

So what does this mean for shoppers and businesses?

Shoppers will be able to get their homewares, garden supplies or groceries, though a cup of coffee at a cafe could cost extra thanks to public holiday surcharges.

While stores had to close until at least 1pm yesterday, the Mondayised holiday places the priority on workers.

Stu Lumsden, Labour Inspectorate national manager, said the Mondayisation applied to employees, not trading restrictions.

Staff normally rostered to work on amonday are entitled to normal holiday entitlements.

This means they can either take the day off or receive time-anda-half and an alternative holiday.

The public holiday means that workers should be paid at least minimum of $30 an hour, after recent changes to the minimum wage.

But staff that work both days are only entitled to one day of holiday perks.

If an employee is normally rostered on for both Sunday and Monday, and works both days, then it is the Sunday that applies for the holiday entitlements.

First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said public holidays could be a feast or a famine for many businesses.

‘‘If the weather is good, consumers will escape to the beach or the garden.

‘‘A lot of it relates to what season it is and other distractions,’’ he said.

Tourist areas would likely do well, benefiting from the push for domestic tourism, he said.

But for most, opening stores on public holidays was about maintaining goodwill rather than the bottom line, Wilkinson said.

‘‘With the higher wage bill and then, of course, time in lieu, in many cases it is for customer service and meeting that expectation that customers have that a store will be open,’’ he said.

‘‘[Opening on a public holiday] is a public service response more than an economic response.’’

However, large retailers such as Briscoes and Bunnings tended to do well out of the public holiday, he said.