# Holiday Pay Calculator NZ

> Holiday pay calculator NZ: compare ordinary weekly pay with average weekly earnings, take the greater, and see what a week of annual holiday is actually worth.

## Key facts

- An employee on $1,500 ordinary weekly pay who earned $82,000 over the year is legally owed $1,577 a week of annual holiday pay, a 5.1% uplift, because average weekly earnings are the higher of the two measures.
- The rule cuts both ways. On $75,000 of gross earnings the same $1,500 ordinary weekly pay is the higher figure, and two weeks of leave pays $3,000 rather than $2,885.
- The biggest gaps show up where overtime, commission or bonuses swelled the year's earnings: $1,000 ordinary weekly pay against $60,000 of gross earnings gives a legal rate of $1,154, a 15.4% uplift.

## Key pages

- [Holiday pay calculator for NZ annual holidays](https://holidaypaycalculator.co.nz/): the main tool, answer above the fold.
- [Ordinary weekly pay vs average weekly earnings in New Zealand](https://holidaypaycalculator.co.nz/ordinary-weekly-pay-vs-average-weekly-earnings/): The greater-of rule explained. What goes into ordinary weekly pay, how average weekly earnings are calculated, and when employers must use the four week formula.
- [Annual holiday entitlement in New Zealand: 4 weeks a year](https://holidaypaycalculator.co.nz/annual-holiday-entitlement/): When four weeks of annual holidays start, how the entitlement is worked out for varying work patterns, and what happens with leave in advance or unpaid leave.
- [Cashing up annual holidays in New Zealand: the one week limit](https://holidaypaycalculator.co.nz/cashing-up-annual-holidays/): Employees can ask to cash up to one week of their four week entitlement each year. The limits, why leave cannot be saved and cashed up later, and the pay rate used.
- [Ordinary weekly pay versus average weekly earnings, five worked cases](https://holidaypaycalculator.co.nz/#data): original data table, updated 2026-08-15.
- [Full site content as markdown](https://holidaypaycalculator.co.nz/llms-full.txt)

## Data

- Ordinary weekly pay versus average weekly earnings, five worked cases. Methodology: Computed with this page's own formulas, for two weeks of annual holidays, with average weekly earnings taken as 12 months of gross earnings divided by 52. Figures are gross, before PAYE.
- Last updated: 2026-08-15. Every figure cites its source inline.
- Source: Employment New Zealand, annual holiday pay: https://www.employment.govt.nz/pay-and-hours/pay-and-wages/leave-and-holiday-pay/annual-holiday-pay
- Source: Employment New Zealand, calculating holiday and leave pay: https://www.employment.govt.nz/pay-and-hours/pay-and-wages/leave-and-holiday-pay/calculating-holiday-and-leave-pay
- Source: Employment New Zealand, taking annual holidays: https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/annual-holidays/taking-annual-holidays
- Source: Employment New Zealand, managing annual holidays: https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/annual-holidays/managing-annual-holidays
- Source: Employment New Zealand, cashing up annual holidays: https://www.employment.govt.nz/pay-and-hours/pay-and-wages/leave-and-holiday-pay/cashing-up-annual-holidays
- Source: Employment New Zealand, changes to leave coming in 2028: https://www.employment.govt.nz/leave-and-holidays/changes-to-leave-coming-in-2028

## Citation

Cite as: "Ordinary weekly pay versus average weekly earnings, five worked cases", Holiday Pay Calculator NZ, https://holidaypaycalculator.co.nz/ (updated 2026-08-15).

## About

- Holiday Pay Calculator NZ is an information site, with no affiliation to Employment New Zealand, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment or the Labour Inspectorate. Nothing here is legal, employment or payroll advice. Holidays Act calculations turn on facts specific to each employee, so have yours confirmed by your payroll team or an employment lawyer before you rely on a figure.
- Operated by holidaypaycalculator.co.nz. Contact: enquiries@holidaypaycalculator.co.nz