After 12 months on the job, you can ask your employer to swap 1 week of your 4 weeks’ minimum annual holidays entitlement for cash — you must ask in writing. Your employer can say no and they do not need to give a reason.

You can ask to cash up holidays several times a year, as long as the total is not more than 1 week’s holiday. If you work irregular hours, you need to agree with your employer what ‘a week’ means.

If your employment agreement says you have more than 4 weeks’ annual holidays, your employer might let you cash up some of the extra holidays. It depends on their workplace policy.

Your employer cannot force you to cash up annual holidays.

Cashing up your annual holidays — Employment New Zealand

Leaving a job

The only other time you’ll get cash for your annual holidays is when you leave your job. Your employer pays you for any holidays you’ve earned and have not taken.

Payment for leave and holidays in final pay — Employment New Zealand