Easter Sunday will be established as a public holiday in Western Australia, and new provisions are being implemented in the state industrial relations system for the Easter Sunday public holiday entitlements.
These changes have been introduced by the Industrial Relations Legislation Amendment Act 2021 and will commence early in 2022. In 2022, Easter Sunday falls on 17 April.
The Public and Bank Holidays Act 1972, which specifies public holidays for Western Australia, will be amended to make Easter Sunday a public holiday. This will bring Western Australia into alignment with Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory, which all observe Easter Sunday as a public holiday.
For employers and employees in the state industrial relations system, the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act 1993 will be amended to recognise Easter Sunday as a public holiday. This will ensure that full time and part time employees who are not required to work on Easter Sunday, solely because that day is a public holiday, will be entitled to their usual pay.
Implementation arrangements will also be introduced for state system employees covered by WA awards and industrial agreements, which are detailed in the Easter Sunday public holiday entitlements for state system employees fact sheet available on the Upcoming changes to state employment laws page.
For employers and employees in the national industrial relations system, the Fair Work Act 2009 and national modern awards will automatically recognise the new Easter Sunday public holiday.
