The Holidays Amendment Bill passed its second reading debate by 69 to 51 with National, Maori Party and ACT supporting.

Amongst other things the bill:
*allows by agreement, one week of an employee’s minimum entitlement to annual holidays to be commuted for a cash payment to the employee;
* amends the calculation and application of payment for public holidays, alternative holidays, sick leave, and bereavement leave;
*allows employers and employees to agree to transfer the observance of public holidays to another working day and employers to direct when an alternative holiday is taken, should the employer and employee not reach an agreement; and
*allows employers to request proof of sickness or injury within the first three consecutive calendar days of an employee taking sick leave without first having reasonable grounds to suspect that the sick leave is not genuine.

MPs will next debate the committee stage of the bill.

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