At the National Party’s conference the Government announced changes to the Holidays Act, including being able to trade the fourth week of holiday leave for cash, if employers and employees both agree.

Other changes to the act proposed are:

* Workers with irregular hours will have their pay for sick leave, bereavement leave, public and alternative holidays calculated by averaging gross earnings for the preceding 52 weeks or whatever lesser period the employee has been with that employer

* Employers and employees will be able to agree to transfer the observance of public holidays to another (identified) working day

* Employers will be able to ask for proof of sickness or injury of an employee taking sick leave, but will have to cover the employee’s reasonable costs in obtaining proof

* Maximum penalties for non-compliance with the Holidays Act will double from $5000 to $10,000 for an individual employer, and from $10,000 to $20,000 if the employer is a company

There will be no change to holiday and leave entitlements.

A bill to make the changes will come to Parliament shortly, where it be referred to a select committee for public submissions.