.md
Easter Saturday in 2026 (Saturday 4 April 2026) is **not a public holiday uniformly across Australia**. Its status **depends on the state or territory** where an employee works, and may also be modified by applicable awards, enterprise agreements or employment contracts.

### Jurisdictional breakdown as at FY2025–26

- **Australian Capital Territory** – Yes, a public holiday under the *Holidays Act 1958* (ACT).  
- **New South Wales** – No, not a public holiday under the *Public Holidays Act 2010* (NSW). Easter Sunday is a public holiday, but Easter Saturday is not.  
- **Northern Territory** – Yes, a public holiday under the *Public Holidays Act 2013* (NT).  
- **Queensland** – Yes, a statutory holiday (the day after Good Friday) under the *Holidays Act 1983* (Qld).  
- **South Australia** – Yes, a public holiday (Easter Saturday) under the *Holidays Act 1910* (SA).  
- **Tasmania** – No, not a public holiday under the *Statutory Holidays Act 2000* (Tas).  
- **Victoria** – Yes, a public holiday (Saturday before Easter Sunday) under the *Public Holidays Act 1993* (Vic).  
- **Western Australia** – No, not a public holiday under the *Public and Bank Holidays Act 1972* (WA).

### What the employee’s answer turns on

Because there is **no single national answer**, a payroll officer must determine the correct treatment by checking:

1. **Legislative public holidays** in the state/territory where the employee is based (the table above).  
2. **Industrial instruments** – an applicable modern award or enterprise agreement may prescribe Easter Saturday as a public holiday for covered employees, even in jurisdictions where it is not a statutory holiday.  
3. **Contractual entitlements** – an individual employment contract might grant additional public holidays.

Therefore, whether an employee receives public holiday benefits for Easter Saturday 2026 depends on the interaction of these sources in their specific work location and employment arrangement.