Already over being back on the tools? Then it’s time to start planning your annual leave for 2024.
This year, anyone willing to pony up 23 days from their hard-earned balance could potentially enjoy over 50 days’ worth of equally hard-earned vacationing. That is assuming nobody at head office (or the cubicle next to yours) makes too much of a fuss about the almost two-month absence.
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Take note of the following proposed annual leave dates and book your time off accordingly. And remember — there’s a good chance you won’t be the only one thinking about this, so be sure to secure those dates before your colleagues do.
20 days is the legal minimum of annual leave afforded to your average full-time employee in Australia. Certain state holidays may vary, e.g. Victoria’s AFL Grand Final holiday, Melbourne Cup holiday (meaning even more bang for your buck if you’re savvy).
The Best Annual Leave Dates To Book In 2024
January
Annual leave spent: four days
Total time off: nine days
The best way to end the first month of the year after returning from holiday is with another holiday. This opening stretch of obligation-free vacationing is, of course, all thanks to Australia Day (January 26th), which quite fortuitously lands on a Friday in 2024.
We’ve bolded the dates that you need to book annual leave to maximise the HR-sanctioned bludgery.
- Saturday, January 20
- Sunday, January 21
- Monday, January 22
- Tuesday, January 23
- Wednesday, January 24
- Thursday, January 25
- Friday, January 26 (Australia Day)
- Saturday, January 27
- Sunday, January 28
March/April
Annual leave spent: eight days
Total time off: 19 days
This is the big one in any given calendar year with two considerable bursts on the cards. Eight days of leave for 19/20 days? It’s a no-brainer.
- Saturday, March 23
- Sunday, March 24
- Monday, March 25
- Tuesday, March 26
- Wednesday, March 27
- Thursday, March 28
- Friday, March 29 (Good Friday)
- Saturday, March 30
- Sunday, March 31 (Easter Sunday)
- Monday, April 1 (Easter Monday)
- Tuesday, April 2 (Certain Tasmanian public service workers eligible for Easter Tuesday holiday)
- Saturday, April 20
- Sunday, April 21
- Monday, April 22
- Tuesday, April 23
- Wednesday, April 24
- Thursday, April 25 (ANZAC Day)
- Friday, April 26
- Saturday, April 27
- Sunday, April 28
June
Annual leave spent: four days
Total time off: nine days
Say what you will about old King Charles… at least he’s letting us take a day off.
Unfortunately for the folks over in Queensland and Western Australia, you won’t be able to take advantage of this specific hack. But you can finesse something similar when the time comes for your respective states’ King’s Birthday holiday in later in October (QLD) and September (WA).
- Saturday, June 8
- Sunday, June 9
- Monday, June 10 (King’s Birthday)
- Tuesday, June 11
- Wednesday, June 12
- Thursday, June 13
- Friday, June 14
- Saturday, June 15
- Sunday, June 16
December/January 2025
Annual leave spent: seven days
Total time off: 16 days
You’ve made it to the end of the year You’ve earned this. Now game it to the max, and don’t you dare return to the office until January 6th, 2025.
- Saturday, December 21
- Sunday, December 22
- Monday, December 23
- Tuesday, December 24
- Wednesday, December 25 (Christmas Day)
- Thursday, December 26 (Boxing Day)
- Friday, December 27
- Saturday, December 28
- Sunday, December 29
- Monday, December 30
- Tuesday, December 31 (New Year’s Eve)
- Wednesday, January 1 (New Year’s Day)
- Thursday, January 2
- Friday, January 3
- Saturday, January 4
- Sunday, January 5
The Best Annual Leave Dates To Book In 2024 — Frequently Asked Questions
Despite petitions to change the date, currently, Australia Day remains on January 26th. This year, the hotly-debated public holiday falls on a Friday.
This year, Australia’s Good Friday falls on March 29th, with Easter Sunday occurring on March 31st, followed by Easter Monday on April 1st.
Similar to previous years, ANZAC Day will occur on April 25th.
This year, the King’s Birthday will occur on June 10th for all states and territories except for Queensland and Western Australia. Western Australia’s King’s Birthday is scheduled for September 23rd while Queensland enjoys their day off on October 7th.
A full-time employee is entitled to a minimum of four weeks (20 days) in paid annual leave for each year of service with their employer. An employee’s entitlement to annual leave accumulates continuously based on the number of ordinary hours they work.
