Leave rules · 2026
Annual leave and sick leave rules in New Zealand (2026)
Employees in New Zealand get at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year on a 5-day week (4 weeks). Sick leave: 10 paid days a year.
Rules as of September 2026 · page built Monday, September 28, 2026Statutory minimums
High confidenceYour number
20 days a year (160 hours)
Statutory minimum 20 days on a 5-day week at 0 years of service.
Paid sick leave: 10 days a year (80 hours).
This is the legal floor for New Zealand; the contract can give more.
| Service | Minimum (5-day week) | In weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Starting entitlement | 20 days | 4 weeks |
4 weeks of annual holidays after 12 months of continuous employment.
Worked exampleA full-time employee on a 5-day week gets at least 20 days a year.
What the rules mean in practice
In New Zealand, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks.
In New Zealand, a full-time employee on a 5-day week is entitled to at least 20 days of paid annual leave a year, which is 4 weeks. The legal wording: 4 weeks of annual holidays after 12 months of continuous employment.
Compared with the other 37 jurisdictions LeaveCalc covers, that starting minimum is higher than 20, the same as 8 and lower than 9. Across all of them the range runs from 5 days (the Philippines) to 30 days (the United Arab Emirates). 20 days is about 7.7% of a 260-day working year.
No service-based step is recorded here, so the 20-day minimum applies at every length of service; the official source has the full rule.
Public holidays are in addition to annual holidays. For 2026, the public holiday calendar for New Zealand lists 11 holidays, 11 of them on working days. An employee who has all 11 weekday holidays off on top of the 20-day minimum is away from work on at least 31 weekdays in 2026.
Sick leave: 10 days of paid sick leave a year after 6 months of continuous employment. LeaveCalc rates this entry High confidence, based on the official sources listed below as of September 2026.
Public holidays
Public holidays are in addition to annual holidays. See the 2026 and 2027 public holiday dates for New Zealand, with .ics downloads.
Sources
- https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/annual-holidays
- https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/sick-leave
As of September 2026. Statutory minimums only: contracts, collective agreements and local rules can give more.
Questions about leave in New Zealand
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks).
How many days of annual leave do employees get in New Zealand?
The statutory minimum is 20 days a year for a full-time employee on a 5-day week (4 weeks). 4 weeks of annual holidays after 12 months of continuous employment.
Does annual leave increase with length of service in New Zealand?
No service-based step is recorded here for New Zealand: the statutory minimum stays at 20 days a year. Check the official source for the full rule.
Is sick leave paid in New Zealand?
Yes. The minimum is 10 paid days a year. 10 days of paid sick leave a year after 6 months of continuous employment.
Are public holidays part of annual leave in New Zealand?
Public holidays are in addition to annual holidays. In 2026 the calendar for New Zealand has 11 public holidays, 11 of them on working days.