- Queenslanders urged to be respectful to workers this Easter
- If you’re working, you deserve your penalty rates
- Trading hours for Easter depend on the category of the retail shop – check online
Queenslanders are reminded to be kind to those working over the Easter holiday period.
People enjoying time with their family and friends are encouraged to be patient and be respectful to workers who have given up their time to serve them.
The Palaszczuk Government made Easter Sunday a public holiday in 2017, adding to the long-standing public holidays for Good Friday, Easter Saturday, and Easter Monday.
Employers and workers should check their industry award to ensure appropriate pay rates are in place, while business owners are also reminded to ensure they are familiar with allowable retail trading hours on public holidays and obligations to workers.
There are three types of shops under trading hour laws.
Some shops (known as exempt shops in the legislation), like chemists, newsagents, cafes, restaurants, and service stations can trade without restriction 365 days of the year including all public holidays.
Smaller independent retail shops must remain closed on Good Friday except if they are a predominantly food and/or grocery store. They have unrestricted trading on the other days during the Easter period.
Non-exempt shops, which are generally large retailers such as supermarkets or department stores, must not open on Good Friday. Trading may be permitted for non-exempt shops on the other public holidays during the Easter period and will depend on the location or type of trading area.
Trading hours for shops can be checked at business.qld.gov.au.
Quotes attributable to Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace:
“Please remember to be patient with and respectful to everyone this Easter – people have given up their time with friends and loved ones to work, and no one deserves a serve.
“We know how important Easter time is to people and their families, which is why the Palaszczuk Government made Easter Sunday a public holiday back in 2017.
“To those working over Easter – thank you, and you deserve your penalty rates.
“A collaborative industry is a healthy industry, and when everyone works together it creates better results for customers and for our workers.
“Trading hours for Easter depend on the category of the retail shop, and all the information is available online.
“It’s also a good opportunity to familiarise yourself with the trading hours advice for the other public holidays we have coming up on Anzac Day and Labour Day.”
