Trading in annual leave for cash
You can ask to swap up to 1 week of your annual leave for cash each year.
- Check with Employment NZ for updates on COVID-19 and annual leave, and other work-related updates.
Leave and pay entitlements during COVID-19 - If you’ve been affected by COVID-19, Work and Income may be able to help.
COVID-19 — Work and Income - Use the online tool to find out what financial support you could access.
COVID-19 financial support tool
After 12 months on the job, you can ask your employer to swap annual leave for cash. You must ask in writing. They can say no and they don’t need to give a reason.
You can ask to cash in leave several times a year, as long as the total isn’t more than a week’s leave. 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 leave, your employer might let you cash in some of the extra leave. It depends on their leave policy.
Your employer can’t force you to cash in annual leave.
Your employer can make you take annual leave as a paid holiday.
Leaving a job
The only other time you’ll get cash for your leave is when you leave your job. Your employer pays you for any leave you’ve earned and haven’t taken.
Your last pay when you leave a job
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