How to hack your annual leave to get the most days off in 2024.

2023 might be (finally) over, but it is never too early to prepare for your 2024 holidays. 

Because every year, those ahead of the curve get the most out of their time by taking more holidays with less annual leave.

Yep, it's very possible to capitalise on those public holidays by requesting specific days off using your annual leave, and banking yourself a nice chunky holiday (or several) in the process.

Watch: Things parents never say on school holidays. Post continues below.

The formula was figured out by brains much more intelligent than mine, and helps us all effectively double the length of our holidays in 2024, without sucking our annual leave allotment dry.

January 2024

For a nine-day holiday in January, you'll need just four days of annual leave. 

January 26, 2024 (known to some as Australia Day or Invasion Day) falls on a Friday so you'll already have three days off there.

Take four days off from Monday, January 22 to Thursday, January 25 to secure yourself a nice little nine-day holiday. What a way to ease back into the working year. 

Holiday:

• Saturday, January 20 — Sunday, January 28 (nine days)

Take four annual leave off on these dates:

• Monday, January 22
• Tuesday, January 23
• Wednesday, January 24
• Thursday, January 25

March 2024

March offers you two delicious options – either a 10-day holiday or a whopping 16 days off.

Thanks to Good Friday and Easter Monday (which fall on Friday, March 29 and Monday, April 1 respectively), you're able to get almost half the month off if you lock in the right annual leave days (but do it fast, lest your workmates jump on the bandwagon first).

Holiday:

• Friday, March 23 — Sunday, April 7 (16 days)

Take four annual leave days on these dates:

• Monday, March 25
• Tuesday, March 26
• Wednesday, March 27
• Thursday, March 28

Or...

• Tuesday, April 2
• Wednesday, April 3
• Thursday, April 4
• Friday, April 5

For a 16-day holiday, take eight annual leave on these dates:

• Monday, March 25
• Tuesday, March 26
• Wednesday, March 27
• Thursday, March 28
• Tuesday, April 2
• Wednesday, April 3
• Thursday, April 4
• Friday, April 5

April 2024

Since Anzac Day falls on a Thursday, you can take three annual leave days before AND the Friday after to make it a nice little nine-day holiday. 

Holiday:

• Saturday, April 20 — Sunday, April 28 (nine days)

Take four days of annual leave on these dates:

• Monday, April 22
• Tuesday, April 23
• Wednesday, April 24
• Friday, April 26

June 2024

Sorry, Qld and WA, this one isn't for you. 

The holiday formerly known as Queen’s Birthday (now officially the King’s Birthday) falls on a Saturday in 2024, meaning we get the Monday off to enjoy ourselves. Want to make that another nine-day vacay? Here you go!

Holiday:

• Saturday, June 8 – Sunday, June 16

Take four days of annual leave on these dates:

• Tuesday, June 11
• Wednesday, June 12
• Thursday, June 13
• Friday, June 14

December 2024 (and January 2025)

If you're about ready to just ditch the rest of the year by the time December rolls around, you might just have enough annual leave to do it (depending on how cleverly you've played the rest of the year's public holidays). If you want to score yourself another nine dayer, it'll cost you three of your remaining annual leave days; or for a super-sized summer holiday, take seven days of annual leave for a 16-day relaxation extravaganza.

But remember, get in quickly because your colleagues probably have their eyes on these dates as well!

Holiday:

• Saturday, December 21 — Monday, January 5 (16 days)

For nine days off, take three annual leave days on these dates:

• Monday, December 23
• Tuesday, December 24
• Friday, December 27

For 16 days off, take seven annual leave days on these dates:

• Monday, December 23
• Tuesday, December 24
• Friday, December 27
• Monday, December 30
• Tuesday, December 31
• Thursday, January 2, 2024
• Friday, January 3, 2024

Feature Image: HBO Max.

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