We have reached agreement with the VHIA on the application of the public holiday entitlements and public holiday penalty payments for the Christmas/New Year period for members who work in the public sector.

Health services should have received an update from the VHIA.

A table which sets out the position for each of the public holidays is available on the website in the member-only pages. (Documents -> Guides)

Entitlements differ depending on whether you are rostered to work or rostered off, and whether the public holiday falls on your rostered day off or not, as well as whether you work part-time or full-time.

There are two Boxing Day public holidays (26 December and 28 December 2010) and two New Year’s Day public holidays (1 January 2011 and 3 January 2011). Note that 28 December 2010 and 3 January 2010 are not substitute holidays but are additional holidays. Therefore the public holiday penalties apply on both of the Boxing Day holidays and both of the New Year’s Day holidays.

This has added another level of complexity to determining members’ entitlements.

Pharmacists We have reached agreement with the VHIA that pharmacists who work on Saturday 25 December 2010 (Christmas Day), will be paid the public holiday penalty. They will also be paid the public holiday penalty if they work on the substituted holiday, Monday 27 December 2010.