Employers haven’t had to think about Mondayisation in recent years, but it returns in 2026/27, so it’s time to be prepared.

2024 and 2025 were relatively straightforward, with most public holidays falling on weekdays, so payroll processes ran as usual.

As a result, Mondayisation largely faded into the background.

That will change in 2026 and 2027.

We’re moving into a period where:
• Several public holidays fall on weekends.
• Mondayisation and Tuesdayisation come back into play.
• Employees may have different public holiday entitlements.

Same business. Same day. Different outcomes.

This is where it becomes complex, because Mondayisation is not a simple set-and-forget rule.

How it applies depends on whether the day is an otherwise working day for each employee.

If this is handled incorrectly, it can lead to:
• Incorrect pays.
• Missed alternative days.
• Payroll rework.
• Compliance risk.

The challenge is that some businesses won’t realise there is an issue until after payroll has been processed.

So what is Mondayisation?

When a public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday, it is moved to the following Monday, or in some cases Tuesday, for employees who would not normally work that weekend day. This is known as Mondayisation.

Rather than recreate a full guide, here is a link to the Employment NZ website explaining how Mondayisation works.

Click here: When a public holiday falls on a weekend