You know it, your family knows it, your boss knows it: you’ve been working hard. After all of those early mornings, late nights and ‘Sent From My iPhone’ emails out of hours, no doubt you deserve a serious break; a holiday that goes on and on and on…
Australians are among some of the hardest workers in the world, which is why it’s important we remember to take our hard-earned annual leave, of which we are entitled to 20 days of paid annual leave each year (no doubt you have a few spares lying around too right?).
It’s plenty of time to rest and rewind, but if you know your way around a calendar, then you can quite easily double your amount of paid time off. How? By cleverly booking annual leave either side of Australian public holidays.
We’ve spent hours poring over a calendar, and now The Latch has done the holiday hacking for you. Below, we’re letting you in on the exact dates you should take off, which will effectively allow you to double your annual leave in 2022.
December 2021/January 2022
Book three days of annual leave for a 10-day holiday.
Make the most of the Christmas and New Year break by booking three days of annual leave in the week that follows the festive season. Because Christmas and New Year’s Day falls on a weekend in 2021, we’re given three public holidays during the week instead.
Travel between:
Saturday, December 25 – Monday, January 3
Book these dates:
Wednesday, December 29
Thursday, December 30
Friday, December 31
January 2022
Book four days of annual leave for a nine-day holiday.
Book cleverly around the Australia Day public holiday by taking annual leave either side.
Travel between:
Saturday, January 22 – Sunday, January 30
Book these dates:
Monday, January 24
Tuesday, January 25
Thursday, January 27
Friday, January 28
April 2022
Book eight days of annual leave for a 17-day holiday.
Enjoy an Easter break and make the most of the last warm days by booking annual leave around three public holidays: Good Friday, Easter Monday, and Anzac Day.
Travel between:
Friday, April 15 – Monday, May 2
Book these dates:
Tuesday, April 19
Wednesday, April 20
Thursday, April 21
Friday, April 22
Tuesday, April 26
Wednesday, April 27
Thursday, April 28
Friday, April 29
Expert tip: You can still enjoy an 11-day holiday by coming back to work after Anzac Day.
June 2022
Book four days of annual leave for a nine-day holiday. (This one goes for all states except QLD and WA.)
Book annual leave on the days following the Queen’s Birthday public holiday.
Travel between:
Saturday, June 11 – Sunday, June 20
Book these dates:
Tuesday, June 14
Wednesday, June 15
Thursday, June 16
Friday, June 17
December 2022/January 2023
Book three days of annual leave for a 10-day holiday.
The festive period is brimming with travel opportunities. Get in quick before your colleagues and book these dates for a generous break. Because Christmas and New Year’s fall on a weekend, we’re given observed public holidays during the week.
Travel between:
Saturday, December 24 – Monday, January 2
Book these dates:
Wednesday, December 28
Thursday, December 29
Friday, December 30
Each state and territory may have additional public holidays that you can make the most of by applying the same booking rules.
In Victoria, Melbournians can make the most of the Melbourne Cup public holiday or the AFL Grand Final Friday holiday, and could theoretically swap four days of annual leave for yet another nine-day break for each.
It all comes down to holiday hacking, and really looking into which of the days you take off will bring the highest reward for your travel time periods. Enjoy!
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