Daylight savings effects working hours

In New Zealand, we turn our clocks forward one hour at 2.00am on the last Sunday in September.

If an employee works an hour less than they would normally work due to turning the clocks forward, they must be paid for the hour lost.

We turn clocks back one hour at 3.00am on the first Sunday in April.

If an employee works an hour more than they would normally work due to turning the clocks backwards, they must be paid for the extra hour at the rate normally paid for extra hour worked.

This legislation can be found in The Time Act 1974.

Time Zones & GMT

Standard New Zealand time is GMT +1200. This means during winter New Zealand clocks are 12 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time.

New Zealand summer time is GMT +1300. This means during summer our clocks are 13 hours ahead of GMT, and during summer we share the same time zone as Nuku'alofa.