--- title: Is this an Otherwise Working Day or Not? description: Employee's work pattern not clear or their hours varied? Finding it hard to determine the otherwise working day? Employment NZ has a calculator for that. --- [Skip to content](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/is-this-an-otherwise-working-day-or-not#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [More support](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) ![TYP\_Logo-09-1.png\]](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/TYP_Logo-09-1.png?height=40&name=TYP_Logo-09-1.png) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [More support](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/kb-tickets/new) - [Visit our website www.thankyoupayroll.co.nz](https://www.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/) [Visit our website www.thankyoupayroll.co.nz](https://www.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/) Kia ora! How can we help you? - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Help Centre](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en?hsLang=en) 2. [Employee Settings](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/employee-settings?hsLang=en) 3. [Work Pattern](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/employee-settings?hsLang=en#work-pattern) # Is this an Otherwise Working Day or Not? ## Is your employee's work pattern not clear or their hours varied? We're here for you. *Updated: October 2024* An **Otherwise Working Day** is a day that an employee would have been working if the day hadn't been a public holiday or other form of leave day for that employee. Factors to consider here include: - what the employment agreement says - the employee's usual work patterns - other relevant factors such as rosters, reasonable expectations of work and whether the employee only works when work is available. ![Info - Blue Block (1)](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/hs-fs/hubfs/KnowledgeBase/CalloutIcons/Info%20-%20Blue%20Block%20(1).png?width=52&height=52&name=Info%20-%20Blue%20Block%20(1).png)You cannot take an employee off the roster on a public holiday if this day is a day they would normally have worked had it not been a public holiday. **Not recognising an employee's holiday entitlements is against the law**. The Holiday's Act uses Otherwise Working Days for leave entitlements. The work pattern you enter into our system shows the system if your employee normally works on a specific day. [Follow this link to find out more about work patterns and our system](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/work-pattern-default-row?hsLang=en).  --- ### **Want more information on Otherwise Working Days?** - [Here is more information on what Otherwise Working Days are from Employment New Zealand](https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/public-holidays/managing-public-holidays-as-an-employer#scroll-to-3) - [Follow this link to a flow chart summary on determining Otherwise Working Days from Employment NZ](https://www.employment.govt.nz/assets/uploads/documents/leave-and-holidays/Factors-to-use-to-decide-whether-a-day-is-an-otherwise-working-day.pdf) - [Follow this link for useful information about public holidays and work - govt.nz website](https://www.govt.nz/browse/work/public-holidays-and-work/working-on-public-holidays/) --- *No matter your needs, we've got your back.* - [Getting Started](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/getting-started?hsLang=en) - [Login Experience](https://help.thankyoupayroll.co.nz/en/login-experience?hsLang=en#main-content) - 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