How to turn 11 days of annual leave into 31 days off through the first half of 2021

If you want to maximise your time off during 2021, make sure you let your boss know these dates.

It's fair to say that the goings on in 2020 meant that we didn't really get to enjoy our year.

And with the festive season fast approaching, there's no doubt a lot of us will be wanting to take some time away from home and enjoy the summer which isn't entirely dictated by the pandemic.

Here's how to maximise your leave for the 2020 festive season going into 2021.

As Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, and so does Day after New Year's Day, an additional public holiday will technically fall on Monday, December 28 and Monday, January 4.

This means it's possible to take eleven days off between Christmas and January 2021 while only using three days of leave on December 29-31.

Observe:

  • Friday, December 25 (Christmas public holiday)

  • Saturday, December 26 (Weekend, Boxing Day public holiday)

  • Sunday, December 27 (Weekend)

  • Monday, December 28 (Boxing Day bonus public holiday)

  • Tuesday, December 29 (Annual leave)

  • Wednesday, December 30 (Annual leave)

  • Thursday, December 31 (Annual leave)

  • Friday, January 1 (New Year's Day public holiday)

  • Saturday, January 2 (Weekend, Day after New Year's Day public holiday)

  • Sunday, January 3 (Weekend)

  • Monday, January 4 (Day after New Year's bonus Day public holiday)

The next public holiday is Waitangi Day which is officially on Saturday, February 6. Because it falls on a weekend the public holiday date pushed forward to Monday, February 8.

Easter 2021:

If you tack an extra four days of leave onto Easter's four-day block of public holidays, you could get ten days away from work:

  • Friday, April 2 (Good Friday public holiday)

  • Saturday, April 3 (Saturday before Easter Sunday public holiday)

  • Sunday, April 4 (Easter Sunday public holiday

  • Monday, April 5 (Easter Monday public holiday)

  • Tuesday, April 6 (Annual leave)

  • Wednesday, April 7 (Annual leave)

  • Thursday, April 8 (Annual leave)

  • Friday, April 9 (Annual leave)

  • Saturday, April 10 (Weekend)

  • Sunday, April 11 (Weekend)

ANZAC 2021:

In 2021, Anzac Day will fall on Sunday, April 25. The public holiday will be observed on Monday, February 26. Using four days of annual leave, you can get nine off in a row.

  • Saturday, April 24 (Weekend)

  • Sunday, April 25 (Weekend, Anzac Day)

  • Monday, April 26 (Anzac Day public holiday)

  • Tuesday, April 27 (Annual leave)

  • Wednesday, April 28 (Annual leave)

  • Thursday, April 29 (Annual leave)

  • Friday, April 30 (Annual leave)

  • Saturday, May 1 (Weekend)

  • Sunday, May 2 (Weekend)

Added to the other leave periods listed above, that's 30 days off for just 11 days of leave.

Source: employment.govt.nz